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HISTORY 



Douglas County, 

ILLINOIS. 

COMPILED BY ORDER OF THE 

1 OARD OF 5 U P E R V ISO RS 

■* ; t — — — .■-■' ? — 



FOR THE 
OF 

AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE; JULY 4' 1876 

BY 

HENRY C. NILES. 



" collect a revircscunt" 



<k 

IS 



v» 




phice nrrr-z- CE1TTS. 
TUSCOLA, ILL.: 

CONVERSE * PARKS, PRINTERS. 

1876. 



\J 




TUSCOLA PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING. 



HISTORY 



Douglas County, 

ILLINOIS, 

COMPILED BY ORDER OF THE 






■*r* 






OARD OF $MJPERVISORS| 



FOR THE 




t\r&%&mm 



AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE, JULY 4' 1H76. 

BY / 

HENRY C.NILES. 



•collect a revirescunt^ 



PBICE 





dElST IS. 



TUSCOLA, ILL.: 

CONVERSE & PARKS, PRINTERS. 

1876. 



yw 



TO THE 
YOUNG MEN OF DOUGLAS COUNTY 

THIS MATTER IS 

RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, 

In the hope that they may be reminded of the responsibility they are 
aDout to asume in taking charge of the destinies of little Douglas, i 
May they emulate the noblest deeds of their fathers, so that the bless- 
ings, which they secured, may descend through them, to posterity. In 
opening out the resources of the country, converting the rude land 
into cultivated fields, building cities where none existed before, and 
making possible the civilizing influences of Churches, Schools and 
Railroads, their fathers have borne the brunt of the battle, and are 
now resigning into their bands the result of their labors, for they are 
passing away. 






^ 






a) 

PREFACE. 



In the preparation of a history of any minor subdivision of a State, 
allusion is necessarily made to various events of the past which are 
well known to many old residents, and many things of the present are 
recorded which are not strange to the intelligent citizen. Neverthe- 
less all no not know all of the past, nor is any one thoroughly posted 
on the present. Hence the hope that this compilation amounts 
at least to an interchange of knowledge, which being "collected and 
refreshed" puts all on an equal footing for a fresh start. 

It would be as well, perhaps, for us who are familiar with both 
the past and present of our little Utica, to bear in mind that a history 
of the past, for the use of the present, is not of more importance than 
that of the present for its successors. 

In regard to the times of elections, terms of office, and the emolu- 
ments of the different classes of the county public service, the obliga- 
tions of the county to railroads, population, etc., etc., it is believed that 
much useful information has been given in, as it were, a pocket form, 
the matter of which is not claimed as original, but, it is supposed, will 
be found correct, and convenient. 

Much of an anecdotical nature might have been added, and many 
things touched upon could readily have been amplified, but the matter 
in bulk, and consequently in labor, has far transcended the original 
design for this occasion". 

If, being found correct, as far as it goes, this proves to be, at least, 
a good beginning for a history of Douglas county, the author will be 
satisfied, for he believes, that under the circumstances, he has done 
what he could, and it is expected that citizens will be inclined, to 
an extent, to commend the work as a step in the right direction, and 
that they will, from time to time, give some willing assistance in keep- 
ing up the chronicles of Douglas county, for 

"It luill be pleasant hereafter 
.'l^o remember these things" 

Where so many have been cheerfully helping in the matter, it 
were wrong to particularize, they have the 

Best respects of 

THE COMPILER. 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 



The Congress of the United States, March 13, 1S76, passed a res- 
olution recommending that the people of the several States assemble 
in their several towns on the "Centennial Anniversary" of our 
National Independence, and have read a Historical Sketch of said 
county or town from its formation, and that a copy of said sketch be 
filed in the office of the Librarian of Congress, as well as in the 
Clerk's office of said county. 

April 25, 1S76, this is followed by the proclamation of John L. 
Beveridge, the Governor of the State of Illinois, to the same effect, 
urging a general observance of the recommendation. 

In May, 1S76, and at a Special Term of the Board of Supervisors, 
not, however, specially held for this purjDose, the following resolution 
was adopted which had been offered by the .Supervisor from Garrett, 
Mr. Wm. Howe: 

Resolved, That Henry C. Niles be employed to prepare a Statis- 
tical and Biographical History of Douglas County, from its origin to 
the present time, and to have the same ready by the 4th of July next, 
provided the said work shall not cost to exceed one hundred dollars. 



HISTORY OF DOUGLAS COUNTY. 



By the treaty of peace between the French and English in 1763, 
the Illinois Country was ceded to the latter. It remained in their 
hands until 1 77S in which year Virginia troops under General Clark 
conquered the country. A county called Illinois was then organized, 
and had been considered hitherto a part of the territory included in 
the charter of Virginia. Virginia ceded it to the United States in 
1 7S7, and it was called the "Northwest Territory." In 1S00 it 
received a separate organization and 1 territorial government in con- 
junction with, and under the name of Indiana. Another division took 
place in 1S09 when the distinct territories of Indiana and Illinois were 
formed. 

The name of Illinois is derived from that of its great river, an 
aboriginal appellation, signifying the "River of men.' 1 

When Illinois Territory was a part of Indiana, the seat of Gov- 
ernment was at Vincennes, and when the Territory was set off from 
Indiana in 1809 the whole State was made into two counties, St. Clair 
and Randolph. From St. Clair Madison was made; from Madison, 
Crawford, the State then had about, fifteen counties. In 1S19 Clark 
was set off from Crawford, and extended to the northward indefinitely. 
Coles county was organized in 1830-31; Cumberland parted from it 
in 1842, and Douglas in 1S59. 

Illinois was admitted into the Union of States in 1S1S, with an 
area of 55,410 square miles, about 409 of which belong to Douglas 
county. 

Coles county, from the area of which Douglas was taken, once 
comprised within its bounds all of Cumberland countv as well, and 
was named in honor of Edward Coles the second Governor of the 
State, elected in 1823. 



HISTORY OF 



Amongst the smallest counties in the State, though not the least 
by some seven or eight, Douglas county is geographically in the east 
centre of the State, and lies below the 40th parallel of latitude. Tus- 
cola, the county seat, being in latitude 39 degrees 45 minutes, North. 
The county is bounded on the north by Champaign county, on the 
east bv Edgar, upon the south by Coles, and on the west by Moultrie 
and Piatt. 

The election for and against the new county was held in Coles 
county on the first Monday in March, 1S59, and the Clerk was 
ordered to make his returns to Coleman Bright and Joseph B. 
McCown, of Camargo. 

Coles was a large county of some twenty-four Congressional ' 
Townships, and containing about 8S0 Square miles. New towns 
demanded by the rapidlv increasing population of the north part were 
springing into existence, the principal of which, Tuscola and Okaw, 
(for so Areola was originally called), upon the line uf the Illinois Cen- 
tral Railroad, had been laid out, the latter by the railroad, upon its 
own lands, and the former upon railroad lands by private enterprise 

The tedious trip, over the prairie of 20 or 25 miles, to Charleston 
the county seat, laid out in 1831, and the almost universal disposition 
of the people towards concentration, carried still farther, eventually, 
bv Township Organization, were amongst the inducements that 
brought about the division. 

The first bill before the legislature, and which was drawn up by 
A. G. Wallace, assisted by Dr. McKinney, Martin Rice, Coleman 
Bright, J. B. McCown, \V. H. Lamb, Jas R. Hammct and many oth- 
ers, which bill passed, left out all of Township 14 of Range 10, 14 
Range 11 and 14 Range 14, as if a change had accidentally been made 
in the Senate. But it was shown that the new county would not con- 
tain the required area "of not less than 400 square miles, 1 '' a require- 
ment of law, whereupon the addition was made which raised the area 
to the proper standard, and a supplementary act was passed to cover 
the deficiency. 

The act forming the new county went into effect Fehruary 8, 
18^9, the first and erroneous bill had been passed by both Houses 
before the discovery of the discrepancy or change, only three days of 
the session remained, and Dr. J. W. McKinney, of Camargo, repaired 
at once to Springfield, wrote out the supplementary bill, adding 18 



DOUGLAS COUNT!'. 



sections of land. This was between 10 and 12 o'clock in the morning 
and after a deal of hard work the bill was considered in the House, 
under a suspension of the rules, and read a second time and passed, 
reported to the Senate and again passed, under a suspension of the 
rules; the bill was signed by the Governor at 4 o'clock, and the Doc- 
tor, with a copy of it in his possession, v\ as on his way home by six 
o'clock p. m. the same day. 

In fixing the county lines an area of some 15 square miles was 
left out of the southeast corner to accommodate the citizens of Oakland 
and vicinity, who preferred to remain in Coles county, and by this 
concession the managers of the partition secured the co-operation of 
that locality. 

There was considerable opposition to the division, as is usual in 
such cases, but public-spirited men all over the territory held meetings 
and contributed liberally of their means and time, and finally on the 
first Monday in March, 1859, Douglas county sprang into existence 
and was baptised in honor of Stephen A. Douglas. In connection 
with the name of the county it may not be amiss to recall a little of 
the history of its christening: 

W. D. Watson, ot'Camargo Township, was in the Senate, and a Republican. 
The proposed county was of that faith, and the petition for the new county asked 
for the name of "Richman," that of the first inhabitant; others again were deter- 
mined to call it "Watson," and the subject was introduced repeatedly at the meet- 
ings, often under considerable excitement, which finally yielded when the advo- 
cates of the various other names became convinced that the bill could not pass 
under any other name than that of Douglas. 

Dr. Pearce, of Camargo, and others, strongly opposed the name and only 
gave up on the solemn promise of the opposition to assist in having the name 
changed after the institution of the county. 

In regard to the spelling of the name, it is notable that we use only one final 
s, which was the mode of spelling adopted by Senator Dougkis, and consequently 
proper. Strangers to this fact invariably use the double s, which is the original 
mode. 

The partition left the county with 40S sections of land, the aiea 
being just about 409 square miles, so-called sections of land hereabout, 
being of various areas, the smallest being as low as 230 acres and 
many running considerably over 1,000. 

The new county was now born and christened, and being admit- 
ted, the next thing in this case was to see that she was properly 
clothed, and to this end the first nominating convention for the selec- 



BISTORT OF 



tion of county officers was held in a board shanty on the McCV.rty 
farm, 2^ miles east of Tuscola. The men put in nomination were 
selected without regard to party, and the officers who were then 
elected were: 

County Judge — James Ewing, still living in Areola, and the asso- 
ciates were John D. Murdock, now a large land owner in Camargo 
Township, who was again elected in 1S61. He filled the position 
for six years, and had been active in the formation of the new county. 
And Robert Hopkins, one of the pioneers of Newman Township, 
who was, at the birth of the new county, an associate justice of Coles. 
Mr. Hopkins died in the spring of 1S63, leaving a large unincumbered 
estate. 

The first County Clerk was John Chandler, now living on his 
form east of Tuscola. He was re-elected in 1S61, serving in all about 
six years. Mr. Chandler was one of the most active in the partition, 
and by reason of a large experience in public business was altogether 
depended upon for statistics in the interests of the new count}-. He 
served in the war with Mexico. 

The Circuit Clerk and Recorder, elected at this time, was 
Andrew G. Wallace, who was re-elected in i860, iS64and 186S, hold- 
ing the office by re-election for over 12 years. 

Mr. Wallace is one of" the first settlers, having arrived in Coles county in 1834 
and was one of the first in Tuscola, where he still lives, conducting a large abstract 
and loan office. 

Samuel B. Logan was the first Sheriff. 

Mr. Logan is now a resident of Bourbon Township where he is a huge land 
owner. He was a captain in the 54th Regt. Ills. Vols, in the war of 1S61. 

The office of Assessor and Treasurer was taken by William Han- 
cock, of Newman Township. 

Mr. Hancock is now engaged in banking in the city of Newman, and a large 
farmer in Sargent Township, lie came to this vicinity in November, 1S39. 

The first County Surveyor was Henry C. Niles, who was 
re-elected in 1861 and again in 1S71. 

Mr. Niles came from Baltimore in 1S57. 

The first meeting of the County Court, as it was called, was held 
in Camargo, so that the minds of the people might not be prejudiced 
as between Areola and Tuscola. 



DOUGLAS COUNTY 



The selection of the county seat, as was to have been expected, 
was the occasion of much excitement. The cities of Tuscola and 
Areola, from their comparatively central position, and both being sit- 
uated on the only railroad in the county, were the leading contesting 
points. The village of Camargo had claims to the honor which were 
strongly advocated, and the well known Hackett's Grove, not far 
north of the geographical centre of the county, was also talked of. 
The aspiring embryo cities of Tuscola and Areola, at the first elec- 
tion, polled probably ten times their legal vote, and the count in these 
two places, being so glaringly preposterous, neither was considered at 
this time, and the unwritten history of this canvass for county seat 
will probibly remain unwritten during the present generation. At 
this first meeting of the County Court— a Special Term — April 28, 
1859, it was ordered that a special election be held May 30, 1S59, to 
choose a county seat as between the two rival towns, which election 
resulted in the ehoice of Tuscola. 

Camargo was made county seat pro tern and Mr. W. H. Lamb 
was appointed commissioner to transfer from Coles county records 
those necessarily belonging to Douglas. 

Mr. Lamb had arrived in Camargo in 1S53; was a merchant there until 1862 
when he became Adjutant of the 79th Ills. Vols, in the war of the Rebellion. He 
was elected County Clerk, or Clerk of the County Court, in 1865, and at the expi- 
ration of his term accepted the Cashiership of the First National Bank of Tuscola, 
a position he still retains. 

County organization lasted until 1S67. The last County Court 
was composed of Thos. S. Sluss, of Tuscola, Judge, with Calvin 
Jones, of Areola, and John Brown, of Camargo Township, as associ- 
ates. Judge Sluss was also the first County Judge after Township 
organization. The associates are vet large farmers in the county. 

The people having, at an election held in November, 1867, 
decided to adopt Township organization, Lucius McAllister, of 
Areola; Jos. B. McCown, of Camargo, and Henry B. Evans, of Tus- 
cola, were appointed Commissioners to divide the county into Town- 
ships, which duty they performed by making the sub divisions as they 
now stand. 

Jos. B. McCown served honorably in the war with Mexico, as also in the civil 
war of 1S61, when he was Colonel of the 63d 111. Infantry. Col. McCown stood 
high in the estimation of the people and consequently exercised considerable influ- 
ence in politics and public business generally. He possessed all the attributes of 
good citizenship, and his death, November 21, 1S69, was much lamented. 



BISTORT OF 



H. B. Evans was elected Assessor and Treasurer in 1865 and re-elected in 
1S67; as Assistant U. S. Marshal in 1870 he procured the Douglas county data 
for the 9th Census, and has been Post Master of Tuscola for a number of years. 

The first meeting, under Township organization, of the Board of 
Supervisors, was held in Tuscola, on Monday, May 11, 1S6S, and the 
Supervisors were : 

Caleb Garrett, of Garrett. 

Lemuel Chandler, of Bourbon, 

Asa T. Whitney, of Areola. 

Oliver C. Hackett, of Tuscola. 

Geo. W. Henson, of Camargo. 

Benjamin W. Hooe, of Newman. 

Isaac W. Burget, of Sargent, and 

Benjamin Bovvdre, of "Deer Creek," but upon being informed 
by the State Auditor that there was a "Deer Creek" Township in 
Tazewell County, the name was changed to "Bowdre" in honor of its 
first representative. 

In September, the same year, a petition to the Board of Super- 
visors was circulated, to which a great many signatures had been 
obtained, wherein the petitioners endeavored to show their belief that 
a majority of the voters of the county desired the abolition of Town- 
ship organization. 

Camargo Township was formerly called Albany Precinct, New- 
man was once Brushy Fork, Garrett Township was a part of Bour- 
bon, Bourbon was once North Okaw, Bowdre, once called Deer 
Creek, was part of Collins Precinct, and Sargent belonged to Oak- 
land Precinct. 

Douglas county, once the 7th, now belongs to the 14th Congres- 
sional District, comprising the counties of Vermillion, Douglas, Coles, 
Piatt, Macon and Champaign, and is represented in the House of 
Representatives by Joseph G. Cannon. 

Mr. Cannon came to Tuscola in 1859, the year of the new county; was elected 
State's Attorney in 1S61 and again in 1864. He was elected to Congress in 1872 
and re-elected in 1874. 

It is in the 32c! Senatorial District, the counties of which, at pres- 
ent, are Coles, Douglas, Moultrie, and has, of its citizens, been repre- 
sented by Col. John Cofer, W. T. Sylvester and Joseph H. Ewing, of 
Areola; Jas. E. Callaway, of Tuscola, and by Maiden Jones, of 
Bourbon. 



DOUGLAS COUNTY. 13 

Mr. Jones was the last Sheriff of Coles County before the partition, and was 
elected to the Legislature in 1S64 and re-elected in 1866. 

The counties of Vermillion, Coles, Douglas, Edgar and Clark 
make the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit of the Second Grand Division, 
and has been presided over by Judges Harlan, Steele, and David 
Davis. The present Judge is O. L. Davis; the State's Attorney is R. 
B. Macpherson. 

The first session of the Circuit Court was held in the then just 
finished depot building of the Illinois Central Railroad, and the first 
civil case on the Docket was Button vs. K. B. Johnson, default of 
defendant and judgment for three dollars and twenty cents. This was 
an appeal from Dr. J. T.Johnson, a magistrate in the village of Bour- 
bon. 

Dr. Johnson removed from Bourbon to a point south of Newman, and after a 
few years went west. 

Afterwards Court was held over J. M. Maris 1 present store, on 
northeast corner of Parke and Sale streets, in which building Mr. 
Wallace had his office as Recorder; at that time "this was the largest 
available room in Tuscola, and after that, until the present permanent 
Court House was built, in the large two-story wooden building which 
stands opposite the Court House on the north. Judge Harlan pre- 
sided and heard all cases, whilst busily engaged in carving curious 
toys from soft wood, a habit he rarely laid aside during business 
hours. 

For a while the County Clerk's office was in the east end of the 
hotel, burnt in 1864, which occupied the site of the present "Stanley 
House. 1 '* 

The Court House was begun under the administration, as a 
County Court, in 1S64, of Judge Francis C. Mullen, of Garrett 
Township, assisted by John D. Murdock, of Camargo, and Caleb 
Bales, of Bourbon, as associates. 

Judge Mullen was the second County Judge of Douglas county; was born in 
Delaware and came to his present location in Garrett Township in 1850. 

Mr. Bales was elected in 1861 Associate Justice, and in 1S72 represented his 
Township as Supervisor. 

.♦The original hotel was built by the Town Company, and there seems to be 
good authority for the statement that the Illinois Central Railroad Company had 
agreed to put the depot about opposite the site of the Court House, say Houghton 
street, but under a mistake of the person in charge, it got its present location. 



H 



HISTORY OF 



The Court House is a large brick building of two-stories and 
basement which contains the jail and living rooms for the Sheriff or 
Jailer. It is situated in Block "C," a roomy enough plat of ground, 
216x320, in about the centre of Tuscola. The plat was deeded to the 
county by the original Town Company for the consideration "that a 
Court House of a substantial character should be erected upon it with- 
in four years from March 17, 1S64. The grounds to be used exclu- 
sively for county buildings, and also conditioned that when it ceased to 
be used for such purposes it should revert to the grantors." 

The architect of the building was O. L. Kinney, of Chicago. 
The original accepted bid for the masonry was $15,000, and the car- 
penter work was offered for $7,700. The contractors for the masonry 
lailed to perform their agreement, even after two or three extensions 
of time, and an advance of 20 per cent, on their contract, which 
advance was also made to the carpenter. 

The County Board finally took charge of the work and in con- 
junction with Mr. J. M. Smith, of Tuscola, employed the same build- 
ers and others, and brought the work to a conclusion. 

The entire original cost of the building find furniture was 
$42,000, the painting, glazing and iron not having been included in 
any of the bids. 

The Deed Records have now accumulated to the number of 33 
five hundred page volumes, and the vault of the office contains 130 
books of record, including the records transferred from Coles county 
at the time of the partition which are called Transcripts. The 
Abstract Books, which are a complete synopsis of all the transfers of 
real estate, whether in trust or actual, were made for his own use by 
R. B. Macpherson, and were purchased of him in 1S69, under the law 
permitting the purchase of such books, and a resolution of the Board 
of Supervisors, for $1,075 m installments. These books were perfect 
to date, and the special care given them in the last few years, make 
them absolutely reliable, and for convenience of reference, second to 
none in the State. 

The first conveyance was recorded May, 1859; Gideon Henson to 
John Davidson, tract in 27, 16, 9. 

The Chancery cases in this office number 700, Criminal 800, and 
Common Law, 2,700. 

The present Circuit Clerk and Recorder is Patrick C. Sloan, who 
was elected as the successor of A. G. Wallace in November, 1S72. 

He is the son of John Sloan, an old and much respected citizen, who arrived 
in Tuscola in March, 1857, and died October 2t, 1S69. 



DOUGLAS COUNTY. 



RAILROADS. 



THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD 

Was completed through Douglas county in 1S55, the charter having 
been granted by act of Congress in 1850. 

This was the first public work that received subsidies of land 
from the United States Government. 

The matter was engineered by Stephen A. Douglas, at that time 
United States Senator, in which enterprise he had the task of recon- 
ciling and combining in favor of the measure the influence of both 
Benton and Clay, who were strongly opposed to each other in every- 
thing else. Mr. Clay said in a speech that he "had traveled these 
prairies for days at a time and never saw a tree as large as a walking 
stick." 

Douglas turned to Benton and said: "He never was on a prairie 
in his life, and on our prairies you are never out of sight of timber a' 
minute. 

This road was granted every alternate section of land, designated 
by even numbers, for six miles on either side of the track, afterward 
increased by a further grant of the alternate sections within 1 =5 miles 
of the track on eacli side of the road and its branches, all even num- 
bered sections, except section 16, which was reserved for schools and 
also excepting lands occupied by actual settlers. 

The United States Lands had been selling for $1.25 per acre and 
the price of the remaining lands was immediately doubled, and some 
are said to have been sold as high as five and six dollars per acre. 

The Government reserved the privilege of transportation, free of 
toll or other charge, of any property or troops of the United States, 



1 6 HISTORY OF 



and a condition was, that the road should be completed in ten years, 
and the company, by act of Assembly, to pay into the State Treasury 
five per cent, of the gross earnings of the road for all future time, and 
also, three-fourths of one per cent, of stock and assets, or enough to 
make at least seven per cent, of the gross earnings, a perpetual reve- 
nue to the State; and the lands were to be free from taxation until 
they had been sold and conveyed. By the charter the road is free 
from local and municipal taxation. 

The number of acres granted to this road in the State, was 
2,595,000. 

The length of this road and its branches is 705 miles. 

The relative elevations of points along the line of this road in the 
county are as follows: 

The south line of the county 3°3'° 

Areola station 3°3'7 

Bourbon Switch 3 79*3 

Tuscola station 3 ^5'3 

North line of county 332.7 

This makes Areola 18.4 feet higher than Tuscola, on the line of 
the road. The north line of the county is the highest point, but one, 
hetween Centralia and Champaign, the highest point being two 
miles north of Tolono. 

It is notable, however, in connection with these facts that Tuscola 
is conspicuous, from the surrounding country, which is not the fact in 
the case of Areola, and may be owing to some extent to the elevation 
of seme buildings, as the Court House, Baptist Church tower and 
Seminary. These figures apply to this railroad only, It will not do 
to compare them as they stand with comparative elevations upon other 
roads in the county. 



THE INDIANAPOLIS, DECATUR & SPRINGFIELD 

RAILWAY 

Traverses the county from east to west, north of the middle, in 
Township 16 and near the middle of Newman, Camargo, Tuscola 
and Garrett Townships, intersecting the Illinois Central at Tuscola, 
the county neat. It was finished through the county in 1S72. 



DOUGLAS COUNTY 



*7 



The charter of the Indiana and Illinois Central Railroad Com- 
pany, of Indiana, bears date of December 30, 1S52; that of the Deca- 
tur and Indianapolis was dated March 21, 1S53, and these were con- 
solidated in 1S54, forming the I. & I. C. Railway, the road receiving 
its present name under reorganization in 1876, thus it had been a pro- 
posed road for 20 years. 

In 186S, Douglas county purchased 2,459 shares of the capital 
stock of the company and there was issued to the county a certificate 
for the shares. These were at a par value of $122,950 and were pur- 
chased of private parties in Indianapolis for $20,000. The transaction 
was conducted by T. H. Macoughtry, Maiden Jones, and Thomas S. 
Sluss, and reported to April Term of County Court, 1S68. 

In 1S72 the county issued to the company $80,000 in bonds, with 
interest at ten per cent., j^ayable annually, principal payable in twenty 
years, reserving the right to pay the principal after eight years; this 
in accordance with the will of the electors, as expressed at the polls 
July 15, 1869. 

There was also subscribed in aid of this road, by a vote of the 
people, in 

Newman Township $12,000 

Camargo Township 15,000 

Tuscola Township 20,000 

Gai rett Township 13,000 

Making an aggregate of $6o,oco 

Payable in fourteen years, with interest at ten per cent. In Newman 
Township last year the taxes paid by the railroad balanced the inter- 
est, and the interest due from the other Townships was materially 
reduced by the same means. 

The present termini of this road are Decatur and the Wabash 
River, but connection with Indianapolis is being rapidly pushed. 

The present length is S5 41-100 miles. For the year ending June 
30, 1S74, the number of passengers carried was 41,890. 

Pending the building of the road large quantities of lands had 
been acquired by the company, along its line, in this and other coun- 
ties, in subscriptions ^of private parties for stock. 

The ground occupied by the track and right of way, and for 
other purposes, is taxed as other lands, and is 2S0 acres. 



iS HISTORY OF 



The relative elevations of points along the line of this road, in 
the county, are as follows: 

East line of county 247 

Newman 238 

One mile east of Camargo 26S 

Two miles west of Camargo 26S 

Tuscola 251 

Atwood, west line of county 257 



THE ILLINOIS MIDLAND RAILWAY 

Traverses the county from east to west, in the south part, crossing the 
Illinois Central at Areola. It was originally an enterprise of citizens 
of Areola and the vicinity, and was first called the Paris and Decatur. 
Upon the extension of the line to Terre Haute, the name of that city 
was prefixed, and, finally, upon a further addition being made to Peo- 
ria, it received its present name. The first train passed over this road 
October 25, 1S72. , 

Township bonds, in aid of the companv, were issued, by a vote 
of the people, in Bowdre, Areola and Bourbon Townships, amount- 
ing in the aggregate to $16^,000. The payments growing out ot this 
grant have been strenuously resisted by a large number of citizens 
who were opposed to the measure, it being held that the voting of the 
bonds, was illegal, as well as the calling of an election for that pur- 
pose. The matter is yet in litigation and whether the bonds will 
eventuall) have to be paid or not is unknown. The ground occupied 
by the road is taxed as other lands, being 1S2 acres. 



THE DANVILLE, TUSCOLA AND WESTERN 
RAILROAD 

Is a proposed road, and was instituted by Tuscola people, materially 
aided by influential parties in Douglas and Vermillion counties. It 
runs in a northeast direction from Tuscola, leaving Douglas county in 
the northeast part of Camargo Township, thence through parts of 
Champaign and Vermillion counties to the ancient town of Dallas, 
and to Danville. 



DOUGLAS COUMTT. 



The preliminary surveying was done upon this line in January, 
1S72, and the ground hroken the following April. 

It has been graded for the most part, and in this county consider- 
able work has been done in the way of bridging. At the present 
time the prospect of an early completion of this road is not brilliant. 
The location is a desirable one and its friends are not altogether with- 
out hope of its becoming, at some time, one of the institutions of the 
State. 

Other roads have been proposed which were designed to cross 
the county in some part, as a road from Pana to Tolono, through 
Garrett Township; a Mattoon and Danville, through Bowdre and 
Newman, and a Charleston and Danville, touching Sargent Town- 
ship, all of which have had preliminary surveys. Another proposed 
road is 

THE TOLEDO AND ST. LOUIS 

Which runs in a southwesterly direction from Areola, has been graded 
for several miles. In October, 1S71, delegations from Areola and 
Tuscola met in Shelbyville, in the interests of this road and in that of 
their respective towns; this, of course, was whilst the Illinois Central 
was the only railroad in the county. The managers of this enterprise 
have a well grounded belief that the road will be pushed towards 
completion this season. And, finally, 

THE TUSCOLA AND ROODHOUSE RAILROAD 

Has a paper existence and a dignified president in Tuscola. 



PROPORTION OF INDEBTEDNESS ASSUMED. 

In the act creating the county of Douglas, the new county became 
responsible for one-fourth part of the indebtedness of Coles county to 
the Terre Haute and Alton Railroad, and accordingly, at a special 
meeting of the County Board, January S, 1S6S, the county purchased 
of John Monroe, of Coles county, bonds numbers 1 to 1 ^ inclusive 
amounting to $19,070.98, and also paid interest on a remaining 
$10,000, amounting to $7,800, and since, about $12,500 of interest and 
principal, making a total cost to the county, in the transaction, of 
$39,370.98. Coles county had taken $100,000 in the stock of the 
road, now called the I. & St. L. 



J-IJSTORT OF 



ALMS HOUSE. 



The county owns the southeast quarter of section 36, township 
16 north, range 9 east, 160 acres ot prairie about 2,y 2 miles east of the 
county seat and has erected a large two-story frame building for an 
Alms House. 

The final deed for the land was made by the I. C. R. R. in 
April 1S71, to Messrs. Sluss, Brown and Jones, the County Court, in 
pursuance of a contract formerly made with them. The farm cost 
about $6,400, to which the value of the buildings may be added. 

The present lessee of the property agrees to board paupers at the 
rate of $3.00 each per week, and to pay $3-So per acre, per annum, 
for the land. 

But few paupers are regularly at the Alms House, the greater num- 
ber being boarded by private parlies at the expense of the county, 
and in some instances the poor have been allowed a weekly stipend 
at their own homes, which in man)- cases has been found to be more 
economical. 

The pauper levy is from $3,000 to $4,000 per annum. 



t<5^0(^5^cK 



DOUGLAS COUNTY. 



THE WAR RECORD. 



In the war between the States, 1861, the county contributed lib- 
erally, being of the first to respond to the call for soldiers. 

The first full company — "D," 21st 111. — went out under the com- 
mand of Capt. James E. Callaway, of Tuscola, who became Lieu- 
tenant Colonel. President Grant was the first Colonel of this Regi- 
ment. B. Frank Reed, of Bowdre Township, was also a Captain of 
this company. He died September, 1S65, of wounds received at 
Chicamauga. Wm. Brian ,vas the first Captain of company "H," 
25th Regiment. Four companies were made up for the 79th, Allen 
Buckner, of Areola, being the Colonel. A. Van Deren, of Tuscola, 
was Captain of company "B," Wm. A. Low, of Newman, was Cap- 
tain of company "E," Oliver O. Bagley, of Camargo, was Captain of 
company "G," and Dr. H. D. Martin, of Areola, was Captain of com- 
pany "K." Dr. Martin died of wounds received at Liberty Gap, 
June 25, 1863. Gilbert Summe, of Tuscola, was Captain of company 
"A," 70th 111., a three months regiment. Derrick Lamb, of Tuscola, 
was Captain of company "F," 149th, and afterward of company "G," 
135th. J. M. Maris, of Tuscola, was Quarter-Master in the 63d Reg- 
iment. J. B. McCown, of Camargo, was Colonel of the 63d, in 
which Regiment J. W. McKinney, was Surgeon. W. H. Lamb, of 
Tuscola, was Adjutant of the 79th. Wesford Taggart of Tuscola, 
was Lieutenant Colonel of the 25th. Dr. J. L. Reat was Surgeon of 
the 2 1 st. 

A large number enlisted in the 1st, 2d, 5th, 7th and 13th Cavalry, 
the Chicago Light Artillery, the Sth and 55th Infantry of Illinois, and 
the 1st Missouri State Militia. 



22 HISTORY OF 



Henry Von Trebra, of Areola, was Colonel of the 32c! Indiana. 
He died at Areola in August, 1863. Simeon Paddleford, of Tuscola, 
was a Quarter- Master in the 21st Illinois. 

These are probably enough to indicate, measurably, the part of 
Douo-las county in the war of 1861. The report of the Adjutant 
General of the State, on file in the County Clerk's office contains all 
possible information under this head except the actual number of men 
from the county in tabular form. 

In July, 1S62, the sum of $2,000 was appropriated by the County 
Board to aid enlistments and the Magistrates were made distributors, 
in conjunction with the Board. A. G. Wallace and John Chandler 
were appointed to procure and present to the 79th Illinois a hundred 
dollar flay;. 



BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES. 



Masonry is represented in the county by four Lodges, which, in 
order of priority, are in Tuscola, Areola, Newman and Camargo, with 
an aggregate membership of 360, and Odd Fellowship by four 
Lodges, Areola, Tuscola, Newman and HindsDoro, with a member- 
ship of 1 85, which gives a total membership, in the societies, of 545, 
or about one-sixth of the voters of the county.* 

*Fov a more particular account see Township Historic 



c-Q^Hc-Q^)' 



DOUGLAS COUNTr. 23 



NEWSPAPERS, SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES. 



There are published in the county five weekly newspapers, of 
which Tuscola and Areola have two each and Newman one. 

The county contains thirty-two churches of the various denomi- 
nations of which seven are in Areola, five in Tuscola, two in Newman 
and one in Bourbon, or one church to every five hundred inhabitants. 

There are eighty school houses, giving - educational facilities to 
5,600 pupils, or an average of 70 to the school, the expense being 
about $3.00 per annum per scholar. 

The act admitting Illinois to the Union in 1S1S, provides for the reservation ot 
one-36th part of all the public lands, for school purposes, and Section 16 of each 
Township had been accordingly set apart for the benefit of its inhabitants. In all 
cases, in this county, Section 16 has been sold too early to realize a large amount 
of money, the land having been sold, in instances, as low as $2,00 per acre. 

A common fund for the promotion of education, generally, was 
also established by the United States Government, through the annual 
payment to the State, of three per cent of the net avails of the public 
lands within its limits. Of this fund one-sixth part is appropriated to 
the erection and support of a collegiate institute. Other funds, to a 
very generous extent, have been provided, from all of which sources 
arises a large annual income. 



2 4 



BISTORT OF 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



DEFALCATION. 

In January, 1S74, James T. Walker, who had been re-elected to 
the office of County Treasurer in 1S71, upon settling his accounts 
preparatory to surrendering the office to Mr. J. M. Cox, of Areola 
Township, his successor, was found to be in default to the county in 
the sum of $14,295.29. 

His sureties being, for the most part, of the most substantial citi- 
izens, he was given every opportunity to make up his accounts out of 
property of various descriptions, which was in his name, but failing to 
meet the full requirements of the case and becoming alarmed for his 
personal liberty, as criminal prosecution was threatened, he escaped 
from custody, at his home, and under cover of darkness made good 
his escape. A reward of $1,000 was at once offered for his appre- 
hension. 

A petition, signed by a large number of tax-payers, representing 
a considerable portion of the wealth of the county, was presented to 
the Board of Supervisors, at the March meeting, 1874, praying for 
the release of his bondsmen, but the Board did not see fit to grant the 
prayer, and a suit was instituted to recover the amount of the sureties, 
in which the claim of the county was successfully pressed by R. B. 
Macpherson, assisted by E. L. Sweet, of Champaign. The interests 
of the bondsmen were in the hands of Thomas E. Bundv and T. H. 
Macoughtry, of Tuscola. 

An adjustment was finally effected by a compromise between 
the county and Walker's bondsmen, upon their paying $13,000 and 
accrued interest from date of judgment. Walker's assets of whatever 
kind realized some $8,000 or $9,000, a relief to his sureties to that 
extent. 



DOUGLAS COUNTT. 



3 5 



In this unpleasant transaction the county had to sustain a loss of 
about $3,000. 

Walker was pitied more than blamed in this matter, and perhaps, 
generally, deemed more unfoitunate than sinning. 



COMPARATIVE VALUE OF PROPERTY, 1S59, 1S75. 





1853. 




1875. 






Number. 


Value. 


Av. Val. 


Number. 


Value. 


Av. Val. 


Cattle 

Mnles and Asses 
Sheep 


3,i8o 

6,814 

1S1 

3,8i8 

12,319 


$173,190 
91,292 

13,385 
4,762 

2 5,354 


$ -54 

•13 

•74 

1.22 

2.00 


8,316 

i6,349 
1,318 
4.940 

54,969 


$360,821 

278,027 

68,396 

6,686 

7 2 >7 2 3 


$ -43 

J 7 

52 

1.35 




3-00 



1859. 



IB'ZS. 



Personal $ 494,039 $1 ,808,837 

Real Estate 1,414,797 4,648,070 

Town Lots 36,3-5 664,810 



Total $ 1 ,945, 1 61 



.$7,121,717 



Annual settlements with the Treasurer show the steady decrease 
of yearly expenses of the county, there having been collected for 
186S, $42,022; 1869, $39,539; 1S70, $33,678; 1S71, $26,798; 1S72, 
$29,000; 1S73, $26,196; i<?74, $24,586. The levy in 1S75 was made 
for $17,000, there being due the county $5,000 on the Walker com- 
promise, which makes $22,000 provided in 1S75. 



POPULATION OF DOUGLAS COUNTY. 

The population of the county by the Sth Census, in 1S60, was 
7,140; State Census in iS6^ gave 11,652; per 9th Census in 1S70, 
13,484. The number of inhabitants was about doubled the first ten 
years. The increase from i860 to 1S65 was about sixty per cent., and 
from 1S65 to 1870 about fifteen per cent., the same latter increase to 
date would give the number of inhabitants at about 15,000 or more, 
or about thirty-three persons to the square mile, in 1S70, and about 



26 



HIS TORI' OF 



thirty-six in 1S75. B\ the Census of 1S70 the population was distrib- 
uted in the Townships as follows: 

Tuscola 2,863 

Areola 2,332 

Camargo 1 ,SoS 

Garrett 1 ,599 

Bourbon 1,457 

Bowdte 1,313 

Newman 1 ,070 

Sargent 1 ,035 

Total , 1 3.4S4 

Of which ninety-seven were colored persons and 68S were foreign 
born, but as Newman has rapidly increased since 1S70 that Township 
now ranks third or fourth in population, the number of inhabitants in 
Newman city alone being over 1,000 in 1S76, 



ACREAGE, DOUGLAS COUNTY, 1876. 



Townships. 



Tuscola .. 
Areola . . . 
Camargo. 
Garrett. . 
Bourbon . 
Bowdre . 
Newman. 
Sarsrent . 



Cultivated/ Not Cult. 



3 8 -H3 

33. 2 9 6 

36,670 

30,666 



40 

668 

2,019 

S08 



Totals I 249,983 



10,408 



L, D. & S. Railway. 

I. M. Railway 

Town Lots 



Total acreage of the county 
Or 409.S9 square miles. 



Total 



3S,iS 3 

33>9 6 4 
38,689 

3^ 2 74 



24,291 


2,ss 4 ; 


2 7^75 


29,201 


J i73 6 


3°.937 


29,560 


796 


3°.35 6 


2S,i 5 6 


i»657 


2 9> 8l 3 



260,391 

2 So 
lS2 

M77 






DOUGLAS COUNTT. 27 



THE DOUGLAS CO. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY 

Is recorded as having been instituted on March 5, 1S66, Caleb Garrett, 
President, Joseph B. McCown, Vice-President, and the first Board of 
Directors were, Wm. Brian, of Tuscola Township; Win. F. Murphy, 
of Sargent; George W. Henson, of Camargo; L. McAllister, of 
Areola, and E. McCarty, of Tuscola Township. Shares were put at 
$5.00, and the Society was formed for the purpose of holding an 
Annual County Fair, and for other purposes. This Society occupies 
orounds belonging to the 

DOUGLAS COUNTY PARK ASSOCIATION, 

Which, instituted in 186S, purchased 30 acres south side west half lot 
3, northwest quarter section 2, township 15, range S, half mile south 
of Tuscola, and issued shares at $25 each, improved the grounds with 
suitable buildings, trotting course and a substantial tight board fence, 
at a total expense of not less than $4,000. 



THE COUNTY OFFICERS 
Of Douglas county, from its organization in 1S59: 

JUDGES AND ASSOCIATE JUSTICES. 

Judge — James Ewing. Associates — Robert Hopkins, John D. 
Murdock, elected April, 1859. 

Judge — Francis C. Mullen. Associates — John D. Murdock, 
Caleb Bales, elected November, 1861. 

Judge — Thomas S. Sluss. Associates — John Brown, John J. 
Henry, elected Novemher, 1S65. Calvin Jones, elected June, 1S67. 

Judge — Thomas S. Sluss, elected November, 1869. 

Judge — Noah Amen, elected November, 1S73. 

COUNTY CLERKS. 

John Chandler, elected April 1859; re-elected 1S61. 
William H. Lamb, elected November, 1S65. 
John C. Parcel, elected November, 1869. 
Daniel O. Root, elected November 1S73. 

CIRCUIT CLERK AND RECORDER. 

A G. Wallace, elected April, 1S59. 
P. C. Sloan, elected November, 1872. 



28 HISTORY OF 



ASSESSOR AND TREASURER. 

William Hancock, elected April, 1859. 

George W. Flynn, elected November, 1S61. 

V. C. McNeer, elected November, 1S63. 

Henry B. Evans, elected November, 1865; re-elected Nov., 1S67. 

After Township organization the office was called 

COLLECTOR AND TREASURER. 

James T. Walker, elected November, 1869; re-elected Nov., 1S71. 
James M. Cox, elected November, 1873. 
Henry R. Ingraham, eltcted November, 1S75. 

SHERIFFS. 

Samuel B. Logan, elected April, 1S59. 
Parmenas Watson, elected November, i860. 
William T. French, elected November, 1S62. 
Isaac L. Jordon, elected November, 1S64. 
Henry C. Carico, elected November, 1S66. 
N. Rice Gruel le, elected November, 186S. 
Newton I. Cooper, elected November, 1S70. 
James H. Shawhan, elected November, 1S71. 

Francis G. Cunningham, elected November, 1S72; re-elected 
November, 1S74. 

SUPERINTENDENT SCHOOLS. 

Wm. H. Sipple, elected April, 1S59. 
8. S. Irwin, elected November, 1S61. 
J. Frank Lamb, elected November, 1S63. 
W. W. Monroe, elected November, 1865. 

Samuel T. Callaway, elected November, 1S69; re-elected 
November, 1873. 

C. W. Woolverton, appointed September, 1875. 
J. W. King, elected November, 1875. 

COUNTY SURYEVOKS. 

Henry C. Niles, elected April, 1859; re-elected November, 1861. 

Issachar Davis, elected November, 1863. 

Enos C. Siler, elected November, iS6^. 

Issachar Davis, elected November, 1867. 

Edmund Fish, elected November, 1S69. 

Henry C. Niles, elected November, 1S71. 

Issachar Davis, elected November, 1S75. 



DOUGLAS COUNTY. 29 

The offices of County Judge and Associates, prior to Township 
organization, consisted of three, chosen at large from the county, and 
gave place to the present Board of Supervisors in 1868, in which each 
of the Townships, eight in number, elect a representative to serve one 
year, from the first Tuesday in April. The emoluments of the 
offices of County Judge and Associates were nominal, being a small 
per diem and mileage for twelve to twenty days in the vear. 

THE COUNTY JUDGE, 

Under the present system, is Probate Judge, and has civil jurisdiction 
to the amount of $500. He is elected every four years, the first hav- 
ing been elected in November, 1S69. The salary is from $500 to 
$600, at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors, and can legally 
be put at $1,500. 

THE COUNTY CLERK'S 

Position, under County organization, and prior to the Constitution of 
1S70, was worth all the fees of the office, which were over $3,000 and 
probably in some instances amounted to $4,000. The present salary, 
under the law, can not exceed $1,500 and must be made out of the 
office, the county not being liable for anv shortage in his pay, the bal- 
ance, if any over $1,500, being paid into the county treasury. He is 
entitled to pay for necessary assistance. The present emoluments of 
this office can only be increased by the county leaving the first class 
where it belongs and taking place in the second class, which requires 
a population of 20,000, when the salary may be, but can not exceed, 
$2,000. The present population is about 15,000. The office at pres- 
ent is a profit to the county of about $1,000 per year. The Count v 
Clerk is elected to serve four years. The first regular election having 
been held in November, 1S61, therefore the election is held in the odd 
year. 

THE CIRCUIT CI.ERK AND RECORDER 

Is allowed $1,500 and clerk hire. This office is subject to the same 
rules as that of the County Clerk, and the present pay can only be 
increased by an increase of population to 20,000, when it may be 
$2,000. All over $1,500 and assistance is paid into the treasury. 
Prior to the Constitution of 1S70 this office was worth all the fees, 
which were between $3,000 and $4,000. This officer also serves four 
years. The first regular term began in November, i860, the election 
taking place in the even numbered years, being at each Presidential 
election. The County Clerk and the Circuit Clerk and Recorder, it 



3° 



HISTORY OF 



will be seen, have no discretion in the collection of fees, which belong 
to the county treasury. 

THE ASSESSOR AND TREASURER'S 

Fees, under the old arrangement, would probably average $1,000 per 
annum. The office is now called 

COLLECTOR AND TREASURER, 

And at present the salary is, for this term, fixed by the Board of 
Supervisors at $1,400 and an allowance for assistance. This salary 
can not exceed $1,500 and clerk hire whilst the county remains in the 
first class. This officer is elected in the odd year, beginning in 1869 
and serves two years. 

THE SHERIFF'S 

Pay is $1,500 per year with an allowance for a deputy. The office 
paid as high as $3,500 under the old regime. A Sheriff is elected 
every two years, in the even numbered years, the last election having 
occurred in November, 1S74. 

THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 

Receives emoluments per year of, probably, an average of $550. The 
pay of this officer may legally be, but can not exceed, $1,500, at the 
discretion of the Board of Supervisors. The office is filled by an 
election every four years, held in the odd year, the next regular elec- 
tion being in November, 1S77. 

a state's attorney 
For each county is elected every four years, beginning in 1S72, on 
Tuesday after the first Monday in November, at the election, of the 
memhers of the General Assembly. He receives a salary of $400 
from the State, and the entire emoluments of the office will aver- 
age $900. 

THE COUNTY SURVEYOR'S 

Fees, which he collects from his employers, at his own risk, have 
never much exceeded $600 per year and are not likely to be increased 
even with a large increase of population and a corresponding increase 
of business, under the present state of the law, which permits any 
competent person to perform the work, which formerly belonged 
exclusively to the office. His sole monopoly is the inspection of 
mines which it is, ex-officio, his duty to measure and report upon 
annually. It was the duty of the County Surveyor in 187 1, under 



DOUGLAS COUNTY. 31 

the Statute, to examine and test all cattle scales In the county, under a 
penalty of $50 for neglect. The measure was extremely unpopular, 
and the law was repealed in 1S72. The examination of the crossings 
of railroads at public highways, which, in 1S71, paid the County Sur- 
veyor some forty dollars per year, was also stopped by a repeal of the 
law directing it. This officer was elected biennially until the term of 
office was changed by the Constitution of 1870 to a period of four 
years. The last regular election was in November, 1S75. 



THE PROBATE COURT 

Of Douglas county, holds its session on the third Monday of each 
month, except in January and July, when it sets on the second Mon- 
day, these latter being Common Law terms as well. 

THE CIRCUIT COURT 

Of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit convenes, 
Spring Term, in 

Vermillion county, first Monday in February. 

Edgar county, fifth Monday thereafter. 

Douglas county, third Monday succeeding. 

Clark county, second Monday succeeding. 

Coles county, third Monday succeeding. 
Fall Term, in 

Vermillion county, second Monday in August. 

Edgar county, fifth Monday thereafter. 

Douglas county, fourth Monday succeeding. 

Clark county, third Monday succeeding. 

Coles county, third Monday succeeding. 
The Judges are elected every six years beginning first Monday in 
June, 1S73. The salary is $3,000, which is paid by the State. 

The Board of Supervisors meet the first Monday in March, sec- 
ond Monday in July, second Tuesday in September, first Monday in 
December. The September meeting is the annual meeting. 



3 2 



HISTORY OF 



RIVERS, OR CREEKS. 

Douglas county is intersected by the Embarras and Kaskaskia 
rivers almost at their sources, both rising in Champaign county. The 
Embarras, which flows generally through the middle and southeastern 
part of the county, is called "Ambraw,"" and is marked "Fox River" 
in the maps of the original United States survey. It is about ninety 
miles long and empties into the Wabash river in Lawrence county. 
The waters of this river are now conveyed to Charleston through 
iron pipes. 

The Kaskaskia, locally called "Okaw," is about 300 miles in 
length, traverses the west part of the county and flows into the Mis- 
sissippi in Randolph county. A settlement called Kaskaskia was 
made at its mouth by the French under LaSalle in 1673. 

These rivers, locally called "creeks," are, in this countv, fringed 
as it were, by a plentiful growth of timber, which comprises about 
one-third of the area of the county, which area of timber is at least 
holding its own, if not increasing, by reason of the cessation of prairie 
fires, once so prevalent, which have at last yielded to the cultivation 
and general improvement of the prairie. 

The countv is situated in Grand Prairie, now rapidly filling up 
with thrifty farmers, but it is within the memory of comparatively 
new comers that the prairie was considered almost a bleak, barren 
waste, unfit for habitation; all of the pioneers, almost without excep- 
tion, settling within or near the edge of the timber, perhaps bv reason 
of the timber being valuable as well as convenient for use. Neverthe- 
less the seeming protection afforded by the timber had its influence in 
determining locations in the early days, and it was considered injudi- 
cious, to say the least, for a man to expose himself and fiimily to the 
storms and annual prairie fires. 

Twenty years ago, indeed, for the most part, within a nearer 
time, the traveler or "mover" pushed forward over the prairie for 
miles in any chosen direction, and almost in a straight line toward his 
destination, having for his only guide some point of timber, a grove, 
or perhaps only a knoll, pointed out or described by some obliging 
settler, and merely selecting the best ground, rode or drove through 
the tall grass without any sign of a road. In time the repeated travel 
began to leave a "trail" which, becoming better defined, became a 
t 'trace." The "Springfield trace," running through the south part of 



DOUGLAS COUNTT. 33 

the county from Oakland nearly due west, was, in early days, one of 
the best known and most frequently traveled, and though it has been 
straightened in many cases, in order that it should conform to the 
section lines, its original location has been retained in places. In these 
days the range of vision was bounded only by the horizon, and the 
white cover of a mover's wagon could be discerned at a distance of 
from eight to ten miles, suggesting the appearance of a sail at sea, 
hence these wagons were called "prairie schooners." They usually 
anchored in the timber or some friendly grove, made a shelter of the 
sail and built a fire in front. If caught upon the prairie they chose, if 
possible, the vicinity of some cabin, where the sailors had, generally, 
a cordial welcome, always receiving what assistance could be given, 
slept in and about the vessel and by sunrise the next morning would 
be hull down to leeward. At times fifteen or twenty of them could 
be taken in at one glance. For the present, however, groves of tim- 
ber, orchards and hundreds of miles of substantial hedges intercept 
the view, where twenty years ago the "treeless waste" was a monot- 
ony of grass and resin weeds which grew to be as high as a man on 
horse-back. 

These prairie roads, in time, gave w ay to the present well made 
and well drained public roads, which, like the section lines they are 
usually laid upon, conform to the cardinal points, and lengthen the 
distance between given termini about one-third. The present roads, 
in most instances, become effectual drains b}- reason of their ditches, 
and the system of drainage, under the Statute, having been adopted 
by some of the Townships, thousands of acres of valuable lands have 
been rescued from the swamps. 



FLORA. 

Growing upon the variety of soil peculiar to the Central part of 
the State, the flora of Douglas county is much diversified; of timber, 
White, Black, Spanish and Red Oaks, Shellbark and White Hichory, 
Sugar and White Maple, White and Red (or Slippery) Elm, Black 
and Honey Locust, White and Black Walnut, Swamp and Upland 
Ash. Sycamore, Cottonwood, Mulberry and Wild Cherry. These, 
of course, in the timber bordering the water courses, but the experi- 
ment of growing forest trees upon the prairie is a pronounced success 
as many beautiful and thrifty young groves amply illustrate. 



34 



HISTORY OF 



Cord wood is hauled to the various towns in large quantities, 
principally Oak and Hickory, at prices varying' from four to five dol- 
lars for choice. However, since the east and west railroads have been 
in operation, vast quantities of coal are delivered in the countv and 
every year becoming more generally used, not only in the towns but 
by the farmers upon the prairie. Present prices, about $3-25 per ton 
by the car load. 

Coal has not been discovered in the county, which lies, however, 
in the coal region. From discoveries recently made in Coles countv, 
there is claimed to be an abundance of coal at a depth of five hundred 
feet. Twenty-five miles east of Newman, on the I., D. & S. Rail- 
way, near Dana, Vermillion county, Ind., the Dana Coal Company, 
C. W. Moore, President, is taking out, from a vein four to five feet 
thick, at a depth of 136 feet, a superior quality of bituminous coal in 
paying quantities. 

Prof. Worthen's "Geology of Illinois," says of Douglas countv: 
"The whole area of the county is covered so deeply with drift clay 
that there is no outcrop of the underlaying coal measures in the 
county; from exposures 111 adjoining counties it is known that the 
underlaying beds belong to the upper coal measures, and probably 
include two or three of the upper coals, but the extent to which they 
are developed here can only be determined with the drill. It is not 
probable that any heavy bed of coal will be found short of 600 to Soo 
feet from the surface, though one of the upper seams two or three feet 
thick might be found at a moderate depth." 

The soil on the prairie is a deep black loam, and in the timber a 
light, grayish clay, the latter is very productive and much better 
adapted to wheat growing than the prairie lands. 

Bowlders of Granite or other rock are rarely found of any 
great size, and in many parts of the countv, whether in prairie or 
timber, they are unknown, whilst in other sections there are enough 
of small dimensions, weighing from one to five hundred pounds, to 
obstruct, to some extent, the tilling of the soil, but these are few in 
number. The largest rock in the county that is visible above the soil, 
stands in the southeast corner of section 2S, township 16, range 7,011 
the farm of Judge Mullen, in Garrett Township. It protrudes consid- 
erably above the ground, showing probably 1,000 cubic feet. All of 
these surface rocks have been rounded by the action of water, and 
evidently have been transported by natural agencies from their native 
beds. 



DOUGLAS COUNTY. 35 

Upon the farm of R. Patterson, section 33, 16, 9, in Camargo 
Township, and on the Embarras river, is a fine fountain of living 
water, widely known as "Patterson's Spring," and a similar one on 
the Okaw, upon the farm of Thos. Brian, section 14, 16, 7, called 
"Sulphur Spring," and another in Hackett's Grove, section 31, 16, 9, 
the overflow of which finally reaches the Embarras, through Scatter- 
ing Fork. These locations, offering the double inducements of shade 
and water, are favorite places of resort for celebrations which, from 
numbers, have necessarily an alfresco requirement. 

On the farm of Wessel Blaase, in Bourbon Township, some 
mounds have been found, from one of which human remains were 
taken, in excavating for a building. Other buildings in the county 
have been set upon slight elevations, all of which, from the surround- 
ings, were doubtless the work of human hands, at least such is the 
popular belief, assisted, in some instances, by ancient marks upon 
large trees, all of which face to one point. If an antiquarian society 
were formed it is possible that Douglas county might furnish some 
facts of value to the scientist or the antiquarian. 

The productiveness of the soil, and the easv tillage, from the 
absence of timber and rock, with the comparative remunerative value 
of all farm products, have made agriculture the leading interest of the 
county, to the exclusion of manufacturing enterprise. At the same 
time the facilities for manufacturing are not great, from the absence of 
home coal and perpetual water power. There are, however, many 
fine flouring mills, several extensive brick yards, which are sufficient 
for the growing demands of home, and one or two Sorghum refiner- 
ies, manufacturing svrup, which are doing good business. 

The growth of the county and the expansion of agricultural 
interests, from year to year, increase the demand for nearly all manu- 
factured articles, but, like new countries in this respect, manufactures 
are of slow growth, and must wait for the necessary capital to accu- 
mulate or the introduction of it from other quarters. 

The climate of Douglas countv is exceptionally healthy and 
still improving with the cultivation of the land. She offers, in addi- 
tion, superior inducements to good men of every grade who desire 
permanent homes, where they can educate their children and enjoy 
facilities for worship, the educational institutions being of advanced 
character, and the various religious denominations exhibiting unusual 
liberality. For the sending and receiving of goods, grain and mer- 
chandise generally, her railroad system, now nearly all that could be 



36 



HISTORY OF 



desired, having 72 miles in operation, when completed, will hardly be 
found exceeded elsewhere, and notwithstanding the rapid increase of 
wealth, evinced in both town and country by many handsome resi- 
dences, erected within a few years, by self-made men, the tendencies 
of the people are decidedly democratic, the intelligent workingman 
receiving as much consideration, socially, as the professional, though 
he had the bluest blood and the riches of Croesus. 

Nowhere in the county are liquor licenses granted. Crimes com- 
mitted by residents of the county are comparatively rare. The people 
are industrious and, upon the whole, the morals are good and the con- 
clusion necessarily follows that Douglas county is making rapid strides 
in proportional wealth and greatness, towards the front rank, in which 
she will eventually take her place. 



ILLINOIS. 

Congressional Townships, about 1,500; Square Miles, 55,410; 
Swamp Lands, acres, 3,267,470; Railroad grants, 1S50-1S60, 2,295,053 
acres; Territory organized, 1S09; State admitted, 1S1S. 



Population, 1S60, 
White, 
Colored, 
Indian, 



1,704,291 
7,62S 



1,711,951 



Population, 1S70, 
White, 
Colored, 
Indian, 

Total, 



Total, 

Population 1S60. 

Native 1,387,30s 

Foreign born 324,643 

Persons to a Square mile 

Persons to a family 

Persons to a dwelling- 



2,511,096 

28,763 
3 2 

2 »539> 8 9 l 

1S70. 
2,024,693 

45- 8 4 
5-35 
547 



Males i,3 l6 o37 

Females 1,223,354 

Total 2,539,891 



DOUGLAS COUNTY 



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3 S HISTORY OF 



SYSTEM OF SURVEYS. 



The rectangular system of surveys adopted by the United States 
Government in subdividing the public lands, in its present state of 
perfection, is the simplest and most beautiful that could be devised. A 
State, when subdivided, has the regularity and symmetry of a well 
laid out city on a grand scale, the townships corresponding to the 
blocks and the sections and subdivisions to the lots. The sections and 
cownships are almost invariably one and six miles square, bounded 
by lines corresponding to the cardinal points. 

The public lands are primarily surveyed into rectangular tracts, 
six miles square, called townships, bounded by lines running east and 
west, and north and south, and containing, as near as may be, 23,040 
acres — 16, 7, in Garrett Township, is of just that area. The town- 
ships are subdivided into thirty-six tracts one mile square, as a general 
rule, and called sections. The sections are numbered consecutively 
from one to thirty-six, beginning in the northeast corner of the town- 
ship and numbering west with the' north tier of sections, thence east 
with the second tier, w r est with the third and so on to section thirty- 
six in the southeast corner of the township. 

Sections are divisible into four equal parts of 160 acres each, and 
each quarter section is again divisible into two half quarters ol So acres 
or into four quarter-quarters of 40 acres each. These are called legal 
subdivisions and are the only divisions recognized by the Government 
in disposing of the public hinds, except where traces are made frac- 
tional by water courses or other causes. The subdivisions of sections 
were not actually surveyed and marked in the held. Quarter section 
or half mile posts were established on the boundaries of the sections, 
ami the quarter-quarter corners are, by law, the equidistant points 
between the section and quarter section corners. 



DOUGLAS COUNTT. 39 



The lines constituting the base of the public surveys, with regard 
to Douglas county especially, are three. A line running north and 
south through the centre of the State is called the "Third Principal 
Meridian," and a similar one in the State of Indiana, whL.i is the 
Second Principal Meridian, and a Principal Base line which crosses 
Illinois about So miles south of Douglas county. We count, there- 
fore, north from the Base line and east from the third Principal Meri- 
dian, or west from the second Principal Meridian. Thus, Tuscola is sit- 
uated in township 16, North of the Principal Base,of Range S East,of the 
third Principal Meridian, and Newman is in the same Township, 16, 
North of the Principal Base, and of Range 14 West of the second 
Principal Meridian. Thus tb';se points are accurately located, for no 
other section of land in the State of Illinois can possibly have the 
same description, and knowing the location of any other city in the 
State, in the same manner, that depends upon the same Base and 
Meridian, their distance apart can be quite accurately estimated. 

As is well known, lines beginning at a given distance apart and both 
running accurately north will converge or approach each other, and 
consequently the Townships always become narrower as they run 
north, and a single Township is about three rods narrower on its north 
side than on the south, in this latitude. A check upon this converg- 
ence is made bv running what is called a Correction line, sub-base or 
standard parallel. Such a line runs between Townships 15 and 16 
in this county. Here the work was, as it were, begun afresh, with 
new and accurate measurements east and west, and thence the work 
again carried on north. This will account for the well known slip 
corners of Townships and sections on this line, sometimes called 
"jogs; 1 ' Surveyors call them "fallings," falling to the right or left of 
corners at the end of the line run. 

The townships in range 14 west, in Douglas county, count from 
the second P. M. in Indiana, so that a system of surveys counting east 
from the third P. M., in Illinois, was extended until it met and closed 
upon a system, counting west from the second P. M. in Indiana. 

Township 16, S, was surveyed by John Messinger, April, 1S21; 
15, 9, by W. L. May, in May, 1821; 15, S and 14, S, by C. McK. 
Hamtrauck, who subdivided 15, 9, into sections in June, 1821. It is 
unlawful for the surveyor who surveys townships to subdivide 
the same into sections, that one may he a check upon the other, and it 
is well known that in many cases the surveyors, being overtaken b\ a 
severe attack of bad weather, subdivided some of the townships in 
the tent. 



4 o HISTORY OF 



In re-establishing the lines of the original survey, the so-called 
pro rata system is now universally adopted by all skilled surveyors, 
in which they are sustained b} the Courts; not, however, until the 
surveyors had educated the Courts up to the point. That is to say, if 
in a measurement of six miles, between original corners, there is a loss 
or gain found, thus differing from the record, the difference is distrib- 
uted to each mile. In other words, if the loss or gain is six rods in 
six miles, each section will lose or gain one rod from its original 
recorded length, whilst, at the same time it may be longer or shorter 
than some other section on the same measured line as it was in the 
original survey, the whole distance is longer or shorter than the 
recorded distance, so the length of each mile of the distance is longer 
or shorter than the recorded distance. 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER GENERAL OF 

THE LAND OFFICE, 1S6S, PAGE 7. 

* The original corners, where they can be found, must stand, under 

the Statute as the true corners they were intended to represent, even 

though not exactly where strict professional care might have placed 

them in the first instance. 

Missing corners must be re-established in the identical localities 
they originally occupied. When the spot can not be determined by 
existing landmarks in the field, resort must be had to the field notes 
of the original survey. 

The law provides that the lengths of the lines as stated in the 
original field notes, shall be considered as the true lengths, and the 
distance between the corners, as set down in those notes, constitute 
the proper data from which to determine the true locality of the miss- 
ing corner. 

Hence the rule, that all such should be restored at distances 
"proportionate" to the original measurements between existing origi- 
nal landmarks. 



DOUGLAS COUNT]'. 41 



TUSCOLA TOWNSHIP. 



" Hodie ZLv£i3a.i Cras TiToi." 



Tuscola, the county seat, is situated in section 34, township 16, 
north, of range S east, of the third Principal Meridian. The original 
town was laid out by a company, who also instituted the city of New- 
man at the same time, in 1857, an< ^ tne projectors of the enterprise 
predicted that a new county wculd be soon formed, that the east and 
west railroad would be built, and that Tuscola would be l he county 
seat of the new county. The new county was made in two years, 
Tuscola became the county seat about the same time, and the railroad 
was built through the county fifteen years after. 

October 11, 1S59, an election was held for and against incorpora- 
tion. The names of all the voters were: VVm. Chandler, I. J. Hal- 
stead, Michael Noel, A. L. Otis, F. F. Nesbit, P. Noel, A. J. Gor- 
man, J. H. Harrison, Jas. Davis, A. G. Wallace, John Chandler, A. 
VanDeren, Thos. Woody and J. G. Cannon. For incorporation, 12; 
against incorporation, 2 — 14. The last six named are still living in 
the city. Town organized November, 28, 1S59. First Council was: 
F. F. Nesbit, L.J. Wyeth,Jas. Davis, W. T. French, with M. Vaul, 
Clerk. 

The Charter is dated March 11, 18.^9. The first Mayor was 
James H. Martin, with a Council consisting of I. L. Jordan, E. Price, 
M. Pugh, W. Taggart. Mayor Martin resigned in June, 1S70, and 
dying November 15, 1S71, was buried at Camargo with Masonic 
honors. He was from Indiana and had resided in Tuscola about six 
years in the practice of the law. Tuscola is, doubtless, the first city 
in the State that was organized under the general incorporation act, 
which took effect July, 1, 1S72. Various additions have been made to 
the area of the original town plat, which now covers an area of one 
square mile. 



4 2 



HISTORY OF 



The prosperity and progress of the city has heen retarded by 
many and some extensive fires, the largest and most notable of which, 
known as the fire, occurred on the night of March n, 1S73, at about 
9 o'clock p. m. It originated in Block "A," between the present loca- 
tion of Hudson's lumber yard and Griswold's store. Block "A," 1 10 
feet front, was built up of wooden structures, and the first intimation 
of the fire was the loud explosion of a quantity of gunpowder in a 
grocery store where the fire began. The explosion spread the flames 
in every direction in the block, and the intense heat soon ignited the 
buildings on the east side of Parke street, and the fire rapidly made 
its way along the south side of Sale street, and the north side of the 
Avenue, including Commercial Block, the best building in the city, a 
large three-story brick which contained, besides several handsome 
stores, a large City Hall, and in the third story the splendid Hall of 
the Masonic Society, also the First National Bank. These rooms had 
been finished in fresco in the best style of tne art and the Lodge room 
was not surpassed by many of the finest halls in the large cities. 
When it was found that the Block would be burnt, the bank men 
piled every possible moveable into the vaults, including the valuable 
law library of Mr. Cannon, and upon opening the vaults the third 
day after the fire, the contents were found to be absolutely uninjured. 
This Commercial Block occupied the site of the present Opera Block. 
The other burnt buildings were of wood but contained in the aggre- 
gate a large quantity of merchandise. Some fifty buildings were 
destroyed, and the lo^s was not much short of $150,000. 

Tuscola was, and is, destitute of a fire company or fireman's 
organization of any kind whatsoever, and the great fire was only 
checked by tearing out buildings in its course, which energetic action 
probably saved Union Block on Sale street, a building of conside able 
value. Other fires have occurred from time to time, resulting mostly 
in loss, but in many instances valuable buildings have been saved by 
the well directed efforts of volunteer firemen, with no other apparatus 
than a dull axe or two and a few ropes. A fire limit has been fixed 
within the bounds of which it is unlawful to erect a wooden building. 

Tuscola contains the Court House, which is more particularly 
described in the notes on the county at large, and the fine building of 
Tuscola Union School District, the cornerstone of which was laid on 
the 20th day of June, 1S70, by the Masons and Odd Fellows, with 
appropriate ceremonies. It contained a history of the city and county, 
with exact situation of both; the variations of the compass and the 
atitude and longitude, by Henry C. Niles; the history of Free-ma- 



DOUGLAS COUNT! 



sonry and Odd Fellowship, in the county, by R. B. Macpherson, and 
that of the School District, by Dr. J. L. Reat and W. B. Dryer. 

This building is of three stories with basement, a large bell and 
excellent town clock, and has ample accommodations for over 500 
pupils, which is about the number ot present attendance. The con- 
tract price was originally $32,000, but the amount was subsequently 
ncreased so that the entire cost is about $40,000. The contractor and 
builder was L. Johnston. 

The District issued bonds in aid .of the cost of construction to the 
amount of $20,000, which were payable in three, five and seven years 
and were sold for ninety-two and one half cents. 

A substantial two-story brick school house was demolished in 
1S71 to make room for the present building. It had cost $6,000. 
The first School House was a one-storv frame, which cost $500, built 
in 1S58. It stands in its original location, next east of the Baptist 
Church, now refitted for a dwelling. 

The first hotel was built by the Town Company, and there seems 
to be authoritj- for the statement that the I. C. R. R. Co. had agreed 
to put the depot opposite the present site of the Court House, say at 
Houghton street, but under a mistake of the person in charge it got 
its present location. This change in the proposed location of the first 
depot accounts measurably, if not altogether, for the absence of busi- 
ness houses about the Court House. The first store in town was built 
on the square and removed up town. A drug store, the first in town, 
was kept for years by Dr. Wright in the dwelling now occupied by 
H. B. Evans, on the Court House square. 

The first child born in Tuscola was Miss May, daughter of A. 
G. Wallace. Miss May Chandler moved to town at the age of six 
weeks, and was, therefore, the "first baby. 1 ' She is the daughter of 
Wm. Chandler, who built the second dwelling in the place, northwest 
corner of Daggy and Main streets, still standing, remodeled. 

Opera Block, on the north side of the Avenue, was built by stock 
subscription in 1S74, and replaces Commercial Block, which was burnt 
in 1S73. Besides several large stores it contains a large audience room 
furnished with comfortable arm chairs, and a graceful gallery, pros- 
cenium boxes, large and roomv stage, drop and other curtains and 
scenerv, private entrances and exits, and almost every convenience for 
a fairly appointed theater. It has a seating capacity of about 1,000 
and the building cost quite $30,000. As this Hall was added to the 
improvement in the face of the fact that the former Hall did not pay, 



44 BISTORT OF 



it must be conceded that it was erected by public spirited men in 
recognition of the great need of such a convenience, and in a spirit of 
pure love for. the good and beautiful the intelligent portion of the 
community can appreciate. 

The brick block of Bright & Jones, on the south side of the 
Avenue, contains, on the second floor, the Lodge Rooms of the 
Masonic Society. That of the Odd Fellows being on the second 
floor of J. M, Smith's building, on the same street. 

Union Block, on Sale street, corner of Main, was erected in 1S71 
by a combination of capital, and narrowly escaped the fate of Com- 
mercial Block in the great fire. It is also of brick, of two stories, and 
about 100 feet front. There are several other small brick buildings. 

The first newspaper in Tuscola, and in the county, was the "Tus- 
cola Press," followed by the "Douglas County Shield," the "True 
Republican" and the "Tuscola Gazette." The papers published at 
present are: The "Saturday Journal," which was once the "Union" 
— it is published by Lindsay & Chapman, and is Republican in politics 
— and the "Douglas County Review," instituted in July, 1S75, de\oted 
to Democratic principles, and published by Converse & Parks. These 
papers are known in newspaper parlance as "co-operative." 

The first Banking House in the county was that of Wyeth, Can- 
non & Co., having been instituted in iS6^, afterwards converted into 
the "First National Bank of Tuscola;" cap- tal, $1 13,000; surplus, 
$25,000; H. T. Carraway, Pr sklent; W. H. Lamb, Cashier. There 
is no other bank at present, two or three more having had a short 
existence The Doaglas County Bank was instituted September, 
1S70, on Sale street. 

There are five Churches, of which the Methodist, Presbyterian, 
Baptist, Christian and Colored Methodist have one each. The Meth- 
odist and Presbyterian Churches were finished about the same time, 
1S65, the former being of brick. The large brick tower of the Bap- 
tist Church is a conspicuous object from the surrounding country. 

The first Masonic Lodge in the county was instituted in Tuscola 
in 1S60: Jas. Davis, W. M.; W. B. Dryer, Secretary, and W. H. 
Russell, Treasurer; Tuscola, No. 332; a Council in 1S63, a Chapter 
in 1S67, and a Commandery of Knights Templar in 1S70. Messrs. 
Davis and Dryer are yet business men of the place. Russell, who 
came in 1S59, became a prominent and wealthy merchant in the firm 
of Wood\ & Russell, and died in June, 1S76. This organization had 
a lodge room in Commercial Block, which was burnt in 1S73. The 
preser.t membership is 140. 



DOUGLAS COUNTT. 



45 



Of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 316, in 
Tuscola, was put in working order June 6, 1S65. The charter mem- 
bers were: C.M.Richards, A. B. Gibbs, I. L. Williams, R. Bar- 
den, P. F. Kinder, H. Gregory; Secretary, John G. Uhler. The 
Encampment was instituted October S, 1S68. The present member- 
ship is about 6^. 

Tuscola is divided into three Wards which are represented in the 
City Council by two Aldermen from each, tne Mayor being John J. 
Jones, of the firm of Bright & Jones. The population of the city is 
2,000. 

In December, 1S67, Jas. B. Hart, a resident of Tuscola, who had 
for several years kept a plow store on the corner of Central Avenue 
and Parke street, and was an active member of the Christian Church, 
was arrested for complicity in a case of forgery committed upon the 
First National Bank of Madison, Wisconsin, the principal being one 
Barton, who had passed as a Christian minister of the Gospel. Hart 
was taken upon a requisition from the Governor of Wisconsin, though 
an attempt had been made to c?rry him off without it, which had 
been successfully resisted by Jos, G. Cannon and others. Hart was 
accompanied to the depot on the night of Wednesday, December iS, 
1S67, by a large crowd of friends and sympathizers, such a demonstra- 
tion in fact that the officer in charge feared a rescue. He was con- 
veyed to Madison, attended by T. H. Macoughtry, as counsel. He 
returned the following Saturday, having been able to give as security 
a $5,000 check of Wyeth, Cannon & Co., which had been voluntarily 
tendered by Wm. P. Cannon, Esq., upon which the money was at 
once paid in Madison, and that deposited as security. The trial, set 
for January 7, 1S6S, resulted in his acquittal and he returned cleared, 
being obliged, howtver to meet an expense of $1,200. 

Hart eventually sued the bank for the reward offered for Barton 
and for false imprisonment, and finally settled for $q,200, his 
expenses, however, were heavy. The Sheriff of the county was 
Henry C. Carico, who had been elected in 1S66. He served in the 
war of 1S61, with a Captain's commission, in company "D'" iqth 111. 
Cavalry. Though young he had been unusually successful in business 
and had accumulated a large amount of property He died suddenly 
in Chicago, on a health tour, and was buried Masonically at Tuscola, 
in October, 1S71. 

Tuscola Township contains 5S sections of land, making an area 
of 602.-3 square miles and 38,823 acres, some of the sections being 
more than a mile square, and is the largest Township in the county in 



46 HISTORY OF 



area as well as in population and wealth. This Township being 
nearly all prairie was of the latest settled, its development being 
almost entirely due to its railroads, the I., D, & S. and the I. C. Rail- 
roads crossing at Tuscola. 

Amongst the most active of the earlier settlers were Oliver C. 
and M. F. Hackett, Owen J. Jones and Joseph W. Smith, and in the 
north part, B. F. Boggs, B. F. Nelson and G. P. Phinney. O. C. 
Hackett was the first Supervisor of the Township. Mr. Phinney, 
who arrived in Tuscola in 1859, on the day of the election for county 
seat, was subsequently chosen three different times to represent 
the Township as Supervisor, in 1S73-4-5. Wm. Brian settled in the 
west part of the Township in 1S34, and was for many years the only 
inhabitant. Jos. G. Cannon and Wm. Wamsley, of Tuscola, both old 
settlers of the town, added the Wamsley & Cannon addition to Tus- 
cola in i860. Mr. Wamsley died October, 1874, and was buried by 
the Masons at Tuscola, on his 70th birth day. Theodore F. Daggy 
died in August, 1S74. He was a young lawyer of great promise. 
Enoch, father of Kimball Glasco, of this township, settled one mile 
north of Charleston, in Coles county, in 1826. The first settler in 
Coles county seems to have been John Parker, in 1824, who located at 
the Blakeman mill on the Embarras. 

In the distribution of county offices the share of Tuscola Town- 
ship, by the vote of the people, has been liberal. Thomas S. Sluss 
was elected County Judge in November, 1865, and to the same title, 
but a different position, after township organization in the fall of 1869. 
Andrew G. Wallace was the first Circuit Clerk of the new county in 
1S59, and continued to serve, by continuous re-election, until Novem- 
ber, 1872, when he was succeeded by Patrick C. Sloan, the present 
incumbent. G W. Flynn, as Assessor and Treasurer, served from 
November, 1861, to Novemoer, 1S63, succeeded by V. C. McNeer, sr., 
who was followed bv Henry B. Evans, in November, 1S65, who was 
re-elected in 1S67. Jas. T. Walker was made Collector and Treasurer 
in 1S69 and again in 1S71. Henry R. Ingraham was elected to the 
same office in 1875, and is the present officer. Wm. T. French, in 
November, 1S62, and Henry C. Carico, in 1S66, were elected to the 
office of Sheriff. Wm. H. Sipple was installed as Superintendent of 
Schools in 18=59, being the first in that office. C. Frank Lamb was 
elected to the same position in November, 1863, to fill a fractional 
term, and succeeded by Rev. S. T Callaway, in 1S69, who was 
re-elected in 1S73. He died in 1S75 and the interim between that 



DOUGLAS COUNTY. 47 

time and the November election was filled by C. YV. Woolverton, b\ 
appointment. Henry C. Niles was elected County Surveyor in 1S71, 
the first one to serve four years under the new Constitution of 1S70. 
He had been the first Surveyor of the county, in 1859, and was 
re-elected in 1S61. E. C. Siler had been put into the same office in 
the fall of 1S65. O. B. Lester was appointed State's Attorney in 
Juh r , 1872, and was the first person born in the county who held a 
State office in the county. The Supervisors of the Township have 
been: 1868, O. C. Hacket; 1S69, K. Glassco; 1S70, Rice Ervin; 
1S71, A. M. Woody; 1S72, P. C. Sloan; 1873-4-5, G. P. Phinney. 
The present Supervisor is Rice Ervin, who arrived in the county in 
April, 1S65. 

The population of the township in 1S70, per Ninth Census, was 
2,863, The township took stock in the L, D. & S. Railway to the 
amount of $20,000, at ten per cent, interest, payable in 14 years. 

Acres in the township cultivated. 38,143 

Acres in the township not cultivated 40 

Town lots, Tuscola 640 

Total acres 385823 




A MODERN SCHOOL HOUSE. 



4 S HJSTORV OF 



ARCOLA TOWNSHIP. 



" Hiafbor Om.3rs.ia, " T s7"i3acit." 



The original city of Areola was laid off by the Illinois Central 
Railroad on its own lands, about the centre of section 4, 14, S, in 
November, 1855, in which year the road had been completed through 
the county. Large tracts were soon after added by Dr. F. B. Henrv, 
John McCann and others, and later the area of the place was farther 
enlarged by the additions of Chandler & Bales on the south, Sheldon 
& Jaques on the east and other smaller tracts, some sixteen in all, until 
the city now covers the area of an entire section, viz., one square 
mile. The railroad company chose to lay off the streets of the origi- 
nal town plat square with the track, which runs considerably to the 
east, thus throwing the streets off the cardinal points in the heart of 
the citv. In the additions on the south and east the proprietors of the 
additions have preferred keeping to the north, south, east and west 
lines, thereby conforming to the original survey of the land, hence the 
notable deflections in the built up streets of the city toward the south 
and east. 

The original station was called "Okaw" by the railroad company 
and went by that name for a number of years until a change was 
made under the following circumstances: Col. John Cofer was post 
master at Rural Retreat from 1854 to 1S5S and being the nearest post 
master, as such, the duty devolved upon him to show the necessity of 
a post office at "Okaw,' 1 which had been petitioned for bv Doctor and 
Judge Henry, John Blackwell and others. The Colonel sent the 
papers to Washington in due course, and they were returned with the 
information that there was already in the State a post office called 



DOUGLAS COUNTY 



49 



Okaw, whereupon he and Hewitt, the station agent, substituted the 
present beautiful name, the origin of which, however, has not been 
given. 

Col. Cofer represented the county in the State Legislature and is 
still, though advanced in years, an active business resident of the town- 
ship. John Blackwell, Esq., who came to the place in 1S57, was the 
first magistrate in the town. He was, in his day, a leading, man in all 
that pertained to good citizenship, and died, January 16, 1S69, much 
lamented. Dr. F. B. and Judge John J. Henry are yet active business 
citizens of the town, the latter having been elected Associate Justice 
of the county prior to Township organization in 1S65. 

The first City Council, or Board of Trustees of the city, was con- 
vened in 1S5S. Mahlon Barnhart was the first President and I. S. 
Taylor, Clerk. W. T. Sylvester and Judge Henry were of the 
Board. Mr. Barnhart was from Indiana in 1857, anc ^ Wils elected 
Supervisor of the township in 1873-4-5 and again in 1S76, being the 
present Supervisor. 

August 6, 1S73, the city was organized under the general law for 
incorporating cities and towns, in force July I, 1872, with Geo. Klink, 
Mayor. Aldermen — H. M. McCrory, J. E. Morris, J. II. Wagner. 
Jas. Jones. It is now divided in towards and Geo. Klink is the present 
Mayor. He had the rank of Sergeant Major in the 25th Illinois in 
war of 1 86 1. 

The citv has lost much by many destructive fires, amongst the 
more notable cf which was the loss of a fine brick block on First 
South street, west of the railroad. This was a substantial two-story 
building of 110 feet front, and had keen erected by .Samuel Blackwell 
at a cost of $20,000. The fire occurred in January, 1S74, and was 
supposed to have been incendiary, but the building had been on fire 
previously in a drug store which occupied part cf it, so the fire may 
have been spontaneous in its origin. Mr. Blackwell arrived in the 
place in 1858, before the institution of the county of Douglas. There 
was also lost by fire in October, 1S75, a two-story frame school house 
belonging to the district which had cost between $5,000 and $6,000. 
This was supposed to have been purposely fired. Parties were tried 
for the crime but acquitted. Some years previously another school 
house had been designedly burnt by a disreputable painter, who kept 
a tavern in the city. He was tried and cleared. In the summer of 
iS6i a large elevator was burnt on Second South street, and at another 
time Bradbury's mill in the south part of town.' Rust's frame dwell- 



HISTORY OF 



ing was burnt in 1872, and three hotels have also been lost by fire. A 
fire limit has been established, within the bounds of which it is unlaw- 
ful to erect wooden buildings, but no other precaution has been taken 
to prevent the spread of dangerous fires. In addition to the calamities 
of fire, the city was visited, on May 14' 1S5S, by a tornado, which also 
took the village of Bourbon in its course. This storm threw down 
sixteen buildings in Areola, beside doing other serious damage. It is 
the most serious storm remembered in this region. 

The first Banking House in the c'ty was instituted by Beggs & 
Clark in March, 1S6S, which, on December 19, 1S75, became the 
present First National Bank of Areola. Capital, $50,000. James 
Beggs, President; A. L. Clark, Cashier. Mr. Beggs arrived in the 
city in 1S51. The present Banking House of J. C. Justice was insti- 
tuted July 23, 1S73. Cannon, Wyeth & Co., had a Bank here for a 
short time. 

Amongst the most prominent of the permanent buildings in the 
city, at present and erected to date, Union Block, 60 x 40, built by 
Douglas, Louthan & Grant, Duncan's Block, the Bank Block, Lloyd's 
Block and Willis' Block, west of the railroad, are all substantial 
bricks. The finest building in the city is Metropolitan Block, on the 
north side of First South street. If is an imposing large two-story 
brick edifice, covering seven large stores of great depth, and having 
an aggregate frontage of 160 feet. The upper floors are principally 
occupied by the handsome lodge rooms of the benevolent societies of 
the place, the chief feature, however, being a fine auditorium or City 
Hall, with a seating capacity of about Soo, with comfortable arm 
chairs, a sjmcious and roomy stage, drop and other curtains and 
scenery, and most of the best appliances of the day for the conveni- 
ence and comfort of exhibitors and audiences. It was built in 1872 by 
various owners at a cost of $30,000. A new School House is about 
being erected of brick. It wili be of tasteful design, 35 feet in height 
and 64 x 74 feet, to cost about $10,000. 

In Churches, in the county, Areola takes the lead in numbers, 
having seven, of which the Methodist, Baptist, Episcopalian, Chris- 
tian, Presbyterian, Catholic and Lutheran denominations have one 
each. 

The Masonic Societv instituted Areola Lodge No. 366, in 
October, 1S61; the first officers of which were, W. T. Sylvester, W. 
M.; H. C. McAllister, S. W.j Wm. Jones, J. W. The present 
membership is 65. 



DOUGLAS COUNTY 



The Independent Order of Odd Fellows began business here 
October n, 1S60, and is therefore the oldest Odd Fellow lodge in the 
county by about four years. The charter members were, Jas. Ewing, 
W. T. Sylvester, C. Cooper, L. D. Price and A. G. Wallace, of Tus- 
cola. Jas. Ewing was the first County Judge of Douglas, 1859. This 
Lodge, No. 2S9, has a present membership of 65. 

Of newspapers there are two. The Areola Record was started 
in 1S65 under John M. Gruelle, the present propiietor. It is inde- 
pendent in politics. The Douglas County Democrat, formerly owned 
by H. H. Moore, was established in 1870, is Democratic in political 
creed, and the present editor and proprietor is C. M. Leek. Both are 
known in newspaper parlance as "co-operative." 

In July, 1862, fourteen years ago, a gloom was cast over the com- 
munity by the accidental death, by drowning, of John Blackwell, a 
lad of 12, and a son of John Blackwell, sr. In company with 
Wm. R. Rust, then also a lad, and a German, Peter Henson, they 
attempted the old "Stoval Ford" on the Okaw, in Bourbon Township, 
being in a buggy drawn by a fine mare belonging to L. C. Rust. 
The waters were up and the ford being deeper than they supposed, 
John Blackwell and Henson were drowned, Rust escaping by a mir- 
acle, how, he never knew. The mare having become entangled in 
the harness, was lost. 

L. C. Rust, father of W. R. Rust, was a leading merchant and 
business man of Areola, having been one of those who removed from 
Bourbon when the business of that place was transferred to Areola 
and Tuscola. He died February, 1873. Dr. I. N. Rynerson died in 
April, 1873. He was a farmer and former practicing physician, of 
fine education and great talent as a public speaker. 

Areola is unfortunately the scene of two of the few murders 
committed in the county. One of these was the deliberate murder of 
Joe. Eves, a carpenter, by one Bullock, an agent for Culbertson. Bul- 
lock, who was a large heavy young man, had repeatedly joked Eves 
about his supposed intimacy with women, and after repeated rencontres 
Eves appears to have been able, on the last occasion, to retaliate in 
kind and with liberal interest, which so enraged Bullock that, produc- 
ing a pistol, he shot Eves on the instant. This occurred near the 
p'-esent Harvey Restaurant. Bullock fled and concealed himself but 
the people promptly turned out and captured him. He was committed 
for murder in the first degree, and as there was no jail in the county 
at the time, August, 1S61, he was imprisoned at Champaign, where 



5 2 HIS TORI" OF 

by a daring effort, he broke jail and made good bis escape. Eves was 
a quiet inoffensive man, and it docs not appear that he even expected 
to provoke Bullock to anger. 

The other murder was that of Mr. Abram Houghtelling, a lum- 
ber merchant, by bis nephew, Desang, which occurred January 21, 
1S72. Mr. H. was sitting in his office writing when Desang entered, 
and within ten or twelve feet, discharged the contents of g double- 
barrelled shot gun, which, having been loaded with large buckshot, 
killed him instantly. The murderer was tried and the defence having 
sufficiently established insanity, he was committed to the Asylum at 
Elgin, whence he at one time made his escape and returning to Areola 
made many threats of violence. He was re-arrested and returned to 
the Asylum by Sheriff Cunningham. Douglas county has had six 
insane persons committed to the various Asylums of the State. 

COMPARATIVE ELEVATIONS OF POINTS ALONG THE LINE OF 
THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD. 

South line of county 3°3-° 

Areola station 3°3-7 

Bourbon Switch 379.3 

Tuscola station 2 ^5'3 

North line of county 332.7 

Which shows Areola station to be 1S.4 feet higher than Tuscola on 
the line of the railroad. 

Bourbon Switch is a point on the I. C. R. R.,in the north part of 
this township, between sections 15 and 22, township 15, range So It 
had been made a point for the reception of cross-ties, during the con- 
struction of the road, and locally known ;is the "Tie Switch." It has 
a side track for the accommodation of the neighborhood, called the 
Ohio Settlement, which is comparatively thickly settled, for prairie, 
and rapidly becoming the" best improved section of the country. 

The township of Areola contains 56 sections of land, equal to 54 
square miles, containing 34,604 acres. Previous to township organiz- 
ation this division, then called "precinct, extended one mile farther east 
and also contained all of range 1 1, 7, which now belongs to Bourbon 
It then had seventy-seven sections of land. The population, per the 
9th Census, 1S70, was set down at 2,332, being the second in ooint of 
population, or about 41 persons to the square mile; 1,900 of them, 
however, live in the city. 

Being about all prairie, the township was settled up later than 
those containing timber. It is traversed by the Illinois Central and 



DOUGLAS COUNTY. 



Illinois Midland Railways, which cross at Areola. The Toledo and 

St. Louis Railroad, which runs in a southwesterly direction from 

Areola, is graded for several miles, and the prospect for its completion 

| this season is said to be good. This township, by a vote of the peo- 

| pie, issued bonds in aid of the T. M. Railway to the amount of $100,- 

j ooo. The legality of the procedure having been called in question, 

j both as to calling the election and voting the bonds, whether the 

bonds will eventually have to be paid or not is doubtful, the matter 

j being now in litigation. 

Citizens of this township have figured largely in the public busi- 
, ness of the county. Col. John Cofer, W. T. Sylvester and Joseph 
H. Ewing have represented the people in the State Legislature, las, 
Ewing was the first County Judge, being elected in iS=;a, and after 
township organization Asa T. Whitnev was the first Supervisor, 1S6S; 
D. Hitchcock served in the same capacity, 1S69-70; Wm. Luce, 
1871-72; succeeded by Mahlon Barnhart, who was elected in 
1S73-74-75, and again in 1876, being the present Supervisor. W. W. 
Monroe was made .Superintendent of Schools in 1S65, Jas. M. Cox, 
County Treasurer in 1 S 7 3 , serving until the fall of 1S75. Edmund 
Fish was elected County Surveyor in 1S69, and served two years. 
He is now County Surveyor of Montgomery county. F. G. Cun- 
ningham was elected Sheriff in 1S72 and, removing to Tuscola, was 
re-elected in 1S74. N. Rice Gruelle was elected to the same office in 
1S6S. John J. Henry was Associate Justice of the county in 1S65 
and resigned. He was succeeded by Calvin Jones in 1S67. 

Acres in the township cultivated 33,296 

Acres in the township not cultivated 66S 

Town lots. . . . ; 640 



Tot: 



3-b 6o 4 



^^^(^c^> 



54 BISTORT OF 



CAMARGO TOWNSHIP. 



"-A-rLtiq/a-a, "Virt-CLte et ZF'id.e-" 



Camargo Township enjoys the honor of being the oldest settled 
portion of Douglas county, the first comers of whom we have any account 
having arrived in 1S29. The township derives its name from the 
city of Camargo in Mexico, and was suggested by Col. McCown. 
The first house built in Douglas county is yet standing on section 33, 
16, 9, on the lies' land, west of the railroad bridge at Camargo and 
north of the track. It was raised in 1829 by John A. Richman, the 
father of John Richman of our day, and well and familiarly known 
as "Uncle Jack." John A. Richman lived to be over So, and even at 
that age would hardly deign to ride a horse, but would gird himself 
with knife and tomahawk and with gun on shoulder, would "step 
over" to the Okaw timber, twelve or fifteen miles and back, as coolly 
as a man of the present day would walk a mile. Mr. Richman came 
from West Virginia, in the year mentioned — some say, however, 1S27 
— and John Richman, then a lad, made a hand at the raising. This 
house was for a long time the headquarters for elections and military 
musters. 

There was a small tribe of Indians camped a Bridgeport, now 
Hugo P. O., section 12, 15, 9, which was a trading point with them 
and a store or trading post was kept by Godfrey Vessar, a French- 
man, or perhaps Vessar & Bulbory. 

Mr. John Hammet and his sons, Win. S. and Jas. R., arrived in 
November, 1S30. The family lived in a tent the first winter and were 
visited by large numbers of Indians who would call and sit aruund the 
fire. Their general conduct was such as to leave the impression that 
they were honest, and although the family of the Hammet's was at 
their mercy, nothing was stolen, and they had no fears for their per- 



DOUGLAS COUNT 2'. 



55 



sonal safety. However one or two battles with Indians from the 
upper Embarras are spoken of as having occurred, 1S15-1S1S; one 
\\ ith Government Surveyors, near the creek in Coles county. John 
Ham met and Harrison Gill, of Kentucky, were the first land owners 
in the area of the county, after the Government, having entered land 
on the same day. Mr. H. took several hundred acres north of 
Camargo village, and Mr. Gill entering 240 acres in section 35, east of 
Camargo. The Patents for these first entered lands were signed by 
Andrew Jackson, in March, 1S30. Mr. Gill is still living in Bath 
county, Kentucky. Samuel Ashmore entered part of section 36, 1 ^, 
10, in 1S30, also. Mr. Gill came from Kentucky on horse-back and in 
company with his Uncle Robert visited the Indians at Hugo. His 
Uncle told the "boss" Indian that Gill, being about to enter land, 
wanted a wife. Upon hearing the news the "ladies" at once gathered 
around the candidate for matrimonial honors as if they meant business. 
All of them wanted a white man, "if he could hunt." Mr. Gill only 
got out of the difficulty by informing them that, much to his regret, 
he was a "poor hunter," and so would make but a sorry husband. 
The two winters immediately succeeding the arrival of these early 
settlers, were the hardest known in the history of the State, that of 
1 S3 1 -2 being known as the winter of the great snow. The milling 
of the neighborhood was done principally at Eugene, Ind., a distance 
of forty miles. 

Jas. R. Hammet was active in the intesests of the new county of 
Douglas and also in those of the east and west railroad, of which he 
was one of the incorporators and a director for fourteen years. G. 
\Y. Henson, Charles Brewer, John Brown, Martin Rice, John D. 
Murdock, Alexander Bragg and the Watson's were also of the first 
arrivals. C. Brewer came in 1S55. J onn Brown, who arrived in 1S3S, 
was elected Associate Justice of the county of Douglas in 1S65. Mr. 
Rice has been a resident of the State since 1S49, and of what is now 
Douglas county since 1S53. He actively assisted in the movement of 
the new county, and was a member of the first political convention 
held in it. In the second vear after township organizntion — 1S69 — he 
was elected Supervisor of Camargo Township, re-elected in 1S73 and 
every year since, being a member of the present Board. John D. 
Murdock was elected Associate Justice of Douglas county, as a mem- 
ber of the first County Board in 1S59, and re-elected in 1861. Cole- 
man Bright, a native of Virginia, came from Indiana to Camargo in 
August, 1S50. He has been a merchant about ever since, and is now 



56 



HISTORY OF 



senior member of the firm of Bright & Jones, in Tuscola. Alexan- 
der Bragg came to the State in 18^5, and served in the Mexican War, 
1S46. W. D. Watson, of this township, was in the State Senate at 
the time of forming the county. Geo. W. Henson arrived in 1S44. 
H. L. Thornsbrue, of this township, is probably the oldest living per- 
son born within the area of the county — 1S30. 

The original part of the village of Camargo was laid off in 
November, 1S36, by Isaac Moss, Jos. Fowler, Surveyor, and was 
called New Salem. When Moss' addition was made it was called 
New Albany, after which it received its present name. It is the most 
ancient village in the county, and in the long years pending the 
advent of the I. & I. C. Railway was considered "finished." The 
completion of this road, however, has given it an impetus that may 
end in distinction, it having been the place of residence of many of 
the most successful business men of the county. The first County 
Court of Douglas county was held here "under dispensation," pending 
the selection of a county seat. The town proper composes an area of 
about So acres, lying on the left bank of the Embarras river and upon 
the line of the I., D. & S. Railway. 

The Methodists and Christians have each a church, the former 
being a fine brick building costing $5,000, and another brick block is 
the store of Carrawav & Elfes. 

Camargo Lodge No. 440, A. F. and A. M., was instituted Octo- 
ber iS, 1S65. The charter members were: Jas. T. Orr, A. Salisbury, 
R. E s Carmack, A. K. P. Townseml. Geo, C. Gill, Martin Rice, W. 
C. Campbell, R. C. Patterson, J. T. Helm, J. R. Henderson, H. G. 
Russell. The first officers were: Jas. T. Orr, W. M.; Geo. C. Gill, 
Secretary; R. E. Carmack, Treasurer. A commodious lodge room 
was dedicated October 2, 1S75 ; R. A. Chapter was instituted U. D. 
November 9, the same year. The present membership is 66. 

The township took stock in the I., D. & S. Railway to the 
amount of $15,000, payable in fourteen years, with ten per cent inter- 
est. The taxes paid by the road materially reduce the interest. 

The Danville, Tuscola & Western is a proposed railroad, 
graded and partly bridged. It crosses the west and north part of the 
township in a northeasterly direction. The line was established in 

,S72 ;. 

The area of the township is fifty-six sections of land or about 
equal to 6oi_, square miles, some of the sections having over i,oco 
acres. The township contains 38,769 acres. 



DOUGLAS COUNT!'. 57 

The notable high-handed and desperate robbery of Mr. Wm. S 
Ham met and his household occurred on the night of June S, 1S70. 
The family had retired. Mr. H. was aroused by a knock at the door, 
and upon opening it was instantly seized by two armed and masked 
men, who demanded silence and money. Mr. H. being not only 
unarmed and partly unclothed, taken by surprise, with a loaded pistol 
pointing directly at and close to his heart, which might at any instant 
have been discharged by the trembling hand of his guard, after care- 
fully weighing the chances concluded to surrender, a prudence that is 
commended by men who have been in the army. He was held 
strictly under guard until the villains had obtained watches and jew- 
elry to the amount of $250 and a little money. They had taken care 
to fasten the door of a room occupied by some work hands, and, hav- 
ing accomplished their purpose with dispatch, released Mr. Hammet 
and disappeared with great haste in the darkness. 

The town of New Boston was laid out by McDowell on section 
35, 16, 9, in November, 1S37, anc ' vacated February, 1845. 

Patterson's spring, a fine fountain of living water, is situated upon 
the farm of R. Patterson in setion 33, 16,9,011 the Embarras and near 
Camargo. It has been for many years a favorite place for camp meet- 
ings and so forth. 

The township, in the public service of the county, has contributed 
liberally of her citizens. John D. Murdoch, Associate Justice in 1859, 
re-elected in 1S61. John Brown in the same position in iS6^. Wm. 
H. Lamb, formerly a merchant in Camargo, was the commissioner to 
transfer from the records of Coles county those belonging to the 
county of Douglas, and was elected County Clerk in the fall of 1S65. 
Parmenas Watson was made Sheriff in November, 1S60, and S. S. 
Irwin was Superintendent of Schools from the fall of 1861, serving 
two years. Dr. John C. Parcel was elected County Clerk in Novem- 
ber, 1S69, serving one term of four years. 

The Supervisors of the township have been: Geo. W. Henson, 
the first in 1S68; F. Hesler, 1S70; J. W. McKinney, 1871-72; Martin 
Rice in 1S69-73-74-75-76, being the present Supervisor. The popula- 
tion of the township, per 9th Census. 1870, was 1,808. 

Acres in the township cultivated 36,670 

Acres in the township not cultivated 2,010 

Town lots in Camargo about So 

Total acres in the township r^S]^) 



5 S HISTORY OF 



GARRETT TOWNSHIP. 



" r'irLis Coronat Op-o.s." 



Garrett Township is situated in the northwest part of the county: 
has forty-eight sections of land, equal to 49 square miles, or about 
31,344 acres. It receives its name from the Garretts, Isom and his 
sons, Cale 1 ^ and Nathan. Isom Garrett is living- and able to attend to 
business at the advanced age of Si years. Caleb Garrett represented 
the county of Vigo in the Legislature of Indiana in 1S42, at the age 
of 26 years, and was re-elected. He settled in Douglas county in 
1S47, and served on the first Grand Jury of the county: was Justice of 
the peace for some years and the first Supervisor of the township. 
He is the fit representative of a family of giants, being six feet in 
height and weighing considerably over 300 pounds. 

Harvey Otter, Thomas Goodson, James Drew, Jacob Mosbarger, 
Dr. Meeker, William Howe and William Ellars were of the early 
settlers. Mr. Howe arrived in 1S3S; went to California in 1S50, 
returning in 1S53. He is the present Supervisor, having been elected 
in 1S76. Wm. Ellars' family came from Ohio, settled on the Okaw 
timber near the north county line in 1S49, at which time there was 
not a settler on the prairie to the west. He was the second Supervisor 
of the township, a position he held by re-election for four years. 

Joseph Moore, or to put it more exactly, "Old" Joe Moore, 
arrived in Douglas, formerly Coles, county in 1832. He is the repos- 
itory, as well as the authority, for all the jokes, good, bad and indiffer- 
ent, illustrative of the manners and customs of the early days. He 
still lives at a hearty old age, and who, in the west end, knows him 
not, argues himself unknown. 



DOUGLAS COUNTT. 



59 



In the early days a principal part of the living was venison. 
Thomas Goodson once killed two deer with a single ball, on what is 
now the large farm of William Brian. He also assisted in extermina- 
ting the last family of wild cats in the Okaw timber. He relates hav- 
ing cut a large tree for rail timber in the exact spot where he had cut 
a similar one thirty-six years before, as if the timber is holding its 
own notwithstanding the large quantities used for fuel and improve- 
ment. It is a notable fact, in this connection, that in those days the 
timber belonging to actual settlers remained in good condition much 
longer than that on Government or non-resident lands. Non-resi- 
dent's lands were called ''speculator's lands." Whether the timber on 
such lands should be respected was considered a "moot case." 

John Lester and his sons, Samuel and Sigler H., were of the most 
notable of the earlier settlers in this part of the county. The sons 
entered large bodies of land, leaving large estates which are now 
enjoyed, for the most part, by their numerous descendants. They 
were men of great natural force and decision of character, and anec- 
dotes of them are not few. As illustrative of the times: John hav- 
ing cut a large bee tree converted it into a "gum," put a slab over it 
and left it for a more convenient time. Goodson, as it happened, had 
just killed three deer, and finding the "gum," not seeing the honey, 
he filled it up with tallow, this to preserve it from the ravens, for at 
that time ravens were plenty — larger than the common crow — since 
extinct in this region. Lester returned first and finding the tallow 
could not understand how anybody could rob him of his honey and 
leave tallow in exchange, the latter being much more valuable. 

Another event of the times — one of our "causes celebres" — has 
been so often repeated to the detriment of the character of Sigler H. 
Lester, that it is desirable to give the facts of the case, even were the 
incident not a part of the history of the county. This was the well 
known assault with intent to kill, said to have been committed by 
Lester upon Samuel Johnson. 

The facts seem to be that the trouble arose from a systematic plan 
of annoyance adopted, in pure mischief, by the "boys," they knowing 
Lester to be or" a very excitable temperament. They robbed his hen 
roosts and wood piles, disturbed work he had laid out, hid his gearing, 
emptied his water jug, generally pursuing a plan of petty mischief, 
taxing their invention to the utmost, and then purposely threw them 
selves in his way to hear him express himself. 



6o HISTORY OF 



Upon the last occassion — for there was a last occasion — when the 
"boys" had played a trick of surpassing aggravation, they unadvisedly 
took occasion to be at hand. Mr. Lester, having by this time, a pretty 
good idea as to the identity of his persecutors, was so decidedly 
expressive that Sam. Johnson "lit" off his horse to fight, or at least to 
make a show of fight, for they thought there would be no fight. 
Each gathered a club, met and broke both, and "clinched.''' Lester 
had a knife in his hand with which he had been at work, and aggra- 
vated beyond endurance, not only at the persistent previous annoy- 
ances, but by the now almost certain knowledge that these were his 
tormentors, and moreover that this was a "set up" job, he, in what he 
really thought was self defence, reached around Sam. and nearly cut 
him in two. 

Mr. Lester was tried, convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary, 
but, upon a proper representation of the facts, was promptly pardoned 
by the Governor. He was defended by Abraham Lincoln. No one 
regretted the affair more than Mr. Lester, and in a subsequent resi- 
dence of mam- years, up to the time of his death in 1S64, he established 
and maintained a character for uprightness and honor second to none. 
His brother Samuel died in September, 1S60, and both left large 
estates. 

The trial of Samuel Evans, for the murder of his wife, occurred 
in 18^3-4. lie was a farmer near the present location of the Hoots 
school house on the Okaw, section 1, 1 ^, 7. It was charged that he 
killed her by beating, and, being tried in Clark county on a change 
from Coles countv, he was convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary 
for eight years. After serving somewhat more than one year he was 
pardoned by Governor Matteson. Usher & Ficklin for the accused; 
Linder for the State. Drs. J. H. Apperson and J. W. McKinnev 
having held a post mortem in the case, their evidence in the trial was 
important. This trial and the attendant circumstances caused the 
expression of much difference of opinion in the neighborhood, lead- 
ing, in some eases, to enmity which time finally cured. 

Francis C. Mullen arrived and entered land in section 28, 16, 7, 
in 1S50. He was the second Countv Judge of Douglas, 1S61. He 
came from Delaware. 

About this time he was traveling towards his home from Yau- 
dalia, where he had been entering land, and upon reaching Sullivan, 
in Moultrie countv, his traveling companion was urgent that they 
ihould repair at once to the hotel saloon and take a drink. Mullen 



DOUGLAS COUNT!'. 



61 



preferred to first take care of the horses, and order dinner, and pre- 
vailed, which made some delay, and as they afterwards went toward 
the tavern and saloon they met a man who told them there had been 
trouble there; that William Campbell had been robbed of one hun- 
dred and fifty dollars in gold; that every man in the saloon, of whom 
there were many, had been searched, and the money not found. It is 
interesting to speculate as to what might have been the consequences 
to Mullen on this occasion had he not been fortunately delayed a little 
while, for he had just arrived in the country, was a perfect stranger to 
every bod v, and had upon his person just exactly "one hundred and 
fifty dollars in gold." 

The timber which lies along the Okaw and its confluence occu- 
pies a large part of the area of the township. 

The I., D. & S. Railway, traverses it from east to west, and the 
township aided in its construction with a voted subscription of $13,000 # 
The bridge of this road, across the Okaw, was maliciously burned on 
the night of July 3, 1873. The fellow who committed the crime has, 
by withholding his name, lost the distinction of . being Douglas 
county's greatest scoundrel. 

The town of Atwood was laid out by the railroad company in 
1S73, on the lands of Harvey Otter and Geo. Nolind, in Douglas 
county, and on the lands of the Ritchie's in Piatt countv. It is a 
thriving village with good surroundings and will eventually secure the 
trade of a wealthy neighborhood, which has hitherto been divided 
between Tuscola and Bement. 

Mackville, in Piatt county, on Lake Fork, a branch of the Okaw, 
is a mile northwest of Atwood, and exercised some control over the 
trade of this region until the advent of the railroad, which passed half 
a mile south and made Atwood. The pet name of this village is 
"Lickskillet." 

Goodson station, section 34, 16, 7, and Bowen's, in section 36, in 
the timber, are recognized as stopping places by the railroad. 

Garrett is the fourth township in the county, with regard to pop- 
ulation per 9th Census, 1S70, the number of inhabitants being put 
down at 1,599. It contains an area of 49 square miles in 4S sections 
of land, several of the sections having considerablv over 1,000 acres. 
Sulphur Spring, on the farm of Thomas Brian, on the Okaw, section 
14, 16, 7, is a fine fountain of living water and a favorite resort for 
open air meetings. 

Garrett has been represented at the county seat by F. C. Mullen, 
County Judge November, 1S61 ; Isaac L. Jordan, an old resident, was 



HISTORY OF 



elected Sheriff in the fall of 1S64; Caleb Garrett, the first Supervisor, 
1S6S, succeeded by Win. Ellars, 1S69, who was re-elected in 1S70-1-2. 
He was followed by J. W. Hackett in 1873; Thomas Owen, 1S74; 
fosiah Hoots, 1S75, and Wm. Howe, 1S76, the present Supervisor. 
All of these were old settlers at the time of the institution of the new 
county in 1859 and were active in its business and politics. 

Acres in the township cultivated 30,666 

Acres in the township not cultivated 608 

Town lots in Atwood 70 

Total acres 31 ,344 




^*^ : '^KV»!'^V2V&* , -»« ? ' 



A PRIMITIVE SCHOOL HOUSE. 



DOUGLAS COUNTY 



63 



BOURBON TOWNSHIP. 



" -A.3a.incL© et 3r , ia.e." 



Bourbon Township consists of forty-two sections of land in the 
southwest part of the county, equal to about the same number of 
square miles, and 27,175 acres. Amongst the first settlers were Geo. 
Dehart and his sons, Samuel and Lucas. He was road-master in Coles 
county and his district extended from Sadorus' Grove, on the north 
county line, to a point six miles south of the Springfield road. Allen 
and William Campbell were also of the first. Mr. Allen Campbell 
was, at the time of his death in 1875, with one exception, the largest 
land owner in the county. Isaac Gruelle, Maiden Jones, Israel 
Chandler and his sons, were amongst the earliest comers. Of these, 
Dr. Apperson is living in the township, a large land owner and has an 
extensive medical practice. He is a nephew of Dr. John Apperson, 
who was the first physician in Coles county. Maiden Jones, who came 
in 1840, was Sheriff" of Coles county when Douglas county was parted 
from it. He was elected in 1S5S, and was elected to the Stace Legis- 
lature in 1864 and again in 1S66. Lemuel Chandler was the first 
Supervisor of the township and served four consecutive terms. The 
Dehart sons are yet well known active business men. Curtis G. and 
Campbell McComb, at present citizens of the county, were old resi- 
dents of Coles at the institution of the new county. Thomas Moore 
entered w r est half northeast quarter section 23, 15, 7, in 1S31. 

John Campbell, called "Uncle Jack," was a brother ol Allen and 
William Campbell, and was probably the last representative or type 
of the genuine old-fashioned pioneer, scout and hunter, and wonder- 
ful stories were told of his endurance and his ability to follow a trail. 



6 4 



HISTORY OF 



He was widely known in the early days, passing the greater part of 
his time in hunting. He was found dead in the woods. His son 
Hiram, who died in 1S64, had the reputation of being one of the best 
hunters of the time. 

Jacob Moore, sr., was one of the earliest settlers in the township 
and became an extensive cattle dealer and large land holder. He was 
also a noted hunter of great endurance. His first land was entered in 
section 1, 14, 7, in April, 1S35. He died July 15, i860, leaving a large 
estate to numerous descendants. 

Isaac Gruelle, of this township, was County Commissioner of 
Coles county, being elected in 1S43, with H.J. Ashmore. The Con- 
stitution of 184S provided for a County Judge and two associates, and 
John M. Logan was one of the first two Associate Justices. Gruelle 
and Logan have long since passed away, both leaving large estates. 

German speaking people occupy a large area of the north part of 
the township, the locality being widely known as the "German Set- 
tlement." Their farms, compared with western farms generally, are 
small but exceedingly well cultivated, and the proverbial industry and 
thrift of this class of citizens is here fully exemplified. The greater 
part of them having arrived with little or no means, and now with 
hardly an exception have acquired good and w r ell improved farms. 
The pioneer of this community is Wessel Blaase, who arrived in JS52. 
There are several ancient artificial mounds on his place in one of which 
human bones were found in excavating for a building. 

In the sonthwest part settled the Amish of some twenty-five fam- 
ilies, who were preceded here by M. Yoter, Miller and others in 1864. 
They much resemble the society of Friends in plainness of attire, integ- 
rity and almost total exemption from pauperism. The name is derived 
from that of the founder of the society who, in the German States of 
Europe, saw fit to secede from the Menonites, of whom much has 
been heard lately, with regard to:the emigration of large numbers of 
them from Russia to the West. The proposed marriages are publicly 
announced, and a marriage outside ot the Society is "tolerable and not 
to be endured." They dress plainly, partly to avoid the frivolities of 
fashion, and partly that there may be no notable distinction between 
the rich and the poor. They have no churches or meeting houses but 
meet at each others dwellings, as the spirit moves them. The cloth- 
ing of the men is often confined with hooks and eyes, but the notion 
that thsy wear no buttons is erroneous. The heads of the women are 
lawavs covered with a neat white cap and over the neck and shoulders 



DOUGLAS COUNTY. 



6.5 



decorously spread a plain white handkerchief; this in observance of 
the hint from the Apostle Paul. 

Adults only are baptized and that by pouring. Infants are not 
entitled to this sacrament, they preferring to teach first, for every 
descendent has a birth-right in the church. Of German extraction 
and long settled in western Pennsylvania, their speech amongst them- 
selves is an odd mixture of German and English, the "American" 
part of which can be readily detected by an intelligent observer, and 
the language is popularly known as "Pennsylvania Dutch." They all 
speak "American" as well as their neighbors, so that, trusting to the 
hearing alone, few would suspect the presence of a German speaking 
person. Almost painfully neat in their housekeeping, forehanded in 
everything pertaining to the comfort of the inner man, with great 
hospitality, all educated with industry, integrity and economy, they 
are a valuable addition to the population and wealth of Douglas 
county. 

The original village of Bourbon, section 14, 15, 7, was laid out by 
Maiden Jones, in October, 1S53, an< ^ ' s the third town in priority, hav- 
ing been preceded by both Camargo and Fillmore. An addition was 
made in the following January by Benjamin Ellars. At the institution 
of the county this was a thriving village of some dozen business 
houses and the most important trading point in the county. L. C. 
Rust, Dr. J. D. Gardiner, Jos. Foster, Wm. Chandler, Benjamin 
Ellars, G. W. Flynn and others flourished here at the time. The 
location of the Illinois Central Railroad some four miles to the east, 
giving rise to Tuscola and Areola, interfered with the future prospects 
of the place to the extent that the merchants, for the most part, not 
only removed to the new towns on the railroad but took their build- 
ings with them. One of these, a two-story frame, was put upon run- 
ners made of large sticks of timber, and with some fifteen yoke of 
steers, under the conduct of Uncle Daniel Roderick, was hauled in 
nearly a straight line over the snow to Areola. "Uncle Daniel" 
still lives on his farm in section 1, 15, 7. He entered this land on March 
13, 183S. Samuel Sharp, of Bourbon, took Rust's store to Areola in 
a similar manner. 

Bourbon has a two-story brick school house, which was built 
about 1S57, and is therefore, probably, the first brick built in the 
county. There is also a neat Baptist Church lately erected by the 
influence and means of citizens yet remaining. The place, however, 
has about lost the character of a village, there being at present neither 
a store or post office, the nearest being at Chesterville on 'the I. M. 



66 HISTORY OF 



Railway, which is a small station about one- half mile south of the 
ancient site of Fillmore. Fillmore had been laid out by H. Russel in 
184S, on section 35, 15, 7, and the firm of Bales & Trowbridge, after- 
wards Bales, Osborn & Co., controlled the trade of a large area; but 
the business of this house was removed to Areola, and Fillmore is 
among the things that were. Mr. Bales was Associate Justice of the 
county in 1861, and Supervisor of the township in 1S72. Bagdad is a 
point on the Okaw three miles west of Areola. 

The town of Arthur, one of the most recent enterprises of the 
kind, is in section 30, 15, 7, and was laid off by the Paris & Decatur 
Railroad, on the lands of Warren in Moultrie county, and the Mur- 
phy's of Douglas. It is a thriving place with several stores and ele- 
vators, and having in it some of the best business talent of the coun- 
try. Its importance as a shipping and trading point is being reluctantly 
acknowledged by neighboring towns. The first business house was 
put up by Jacob Sears. The population in 1S75 was about 300. 

Newton I. Cooper, of this township, was elected Sheriff of the 
county in the fall of 1870, up to which time for a period, he had been 
Township Collector. In the following March he disappeared sud- 
denly, leaving between five and six thousand dollars of township 
funds unaccounted for. Cooper, a recent comer in the neighborhood, 
was a man of pleasing address aud appearance, and that, together with 
his rather notable business qualifications, inspired confidence in all who 
had dealings with him. 

On Thursday afternoon, November 4, 1S75, Mr. R. P. McWil- 
liams, a well known and highly respected citizen of Bourbon town- 
ship, was instantly killed at the highway crossing of the Illinois Mid- 
land Railw r ay, west of Areola cit) and near the residence of Jacob 
Moore. He was driving a mule team attached to a wagon. He 
approached the crossing and, as he thought, allowed the train to pass 
and began to resume his way, probably, naturally looking at the train, 
but he was unfortunately caught by the latter part of the train, which 
had f ccome uncoupled. The team escaped. 

The name of this township is derived from that of Bourbon 
county, Kentucky, which was represented by several of the first set- 
tlers. The people voted bonds in aid of the I. M. Railway to the 
amount of $35,000; and it ranked the fifth in the county in point of 
population, by the Census of 1S70, the number of inhabitants being 
put at 1,457. 

The township has contributed liberally of her citizens to the pub- 
lic service. John Chandler, the first Clerk of the county, was elected 



DOUGLAS COUNTY 



67 



in 1859 and again in 1861. Caleb Bales was Associate Justice for a 
term beginning November, 1S61, and was also Supervisor in 1S72. 
Samuel B. Logan was the first Sheriff of the county, 1 S59. Newton 
I. Cooper was made Sheriff in 1S70 Lemuel Chandler served as 
Supervisor in 1868-69-70-71, and had also charge of the interests of the 
county in realizing from the State the amount due from swamp lands. 
M.D.Bartholomew was Supervisor in 1873, and was succeeded by 
Andrew Ray in 1S74, who was returned in 1S75. The present Super- 
visor is J. F. Bouck, who came from Ohio in 1S66. fie served with a 
Captain's commission in the 154th Regiment of that State in the war 
of 1S61. 

Acres in the township cultivated .' 34,291 

Acres in the township not cultivated 2,884 

Total acres in township 27,175 

To which may be added town lots in Arthur and Bourbon foi 
total area. 




PUNCHEON SKAT, 



6S HISTORY OF 



BOWDRE TOWNSHIP. 



" "\7"estigria, 3ST-u.Ha, 3=^.etrors-u.m.." 



Bowdre Township has 481^ square miles of territory. When 
Township organization was adopted in 186S, this township was called 
Deer Creek, after the water course of that name which traverses it, 
and had heen a part of Collins Precint in Coles county. At the first 
meeting of the Board of Supervisors it was discovered that there was 
a Deer Creek Township in Tazewell county, whereupon the name 
was changed to Bowdre, in honor of Benjamin Bowdre, who was one 
of the oldest settlers. He is yet living on his farm in the township. 
The Emharras river runs through the northeast part and receives 
Scattering Fork in the north. It is traversed by the Illinois Midland 
Railway, from the west to the southeast, a considerable deflection hav- 
ing been made in the line of the road that it might pass within a mile 
of the centre of the township, upon which condition and for other 
reasons, the people of the township voted bonds in aid of the road to 
the amount of $30,000. The legality of calling the election and of 
voting the bonds having been called in question, and being now in 
litigation, whether these bonds will finally have to be paid or not is 
unknown. 

The town or village of Hindsboro is situated in section 6, 14, 10, 
and was laid out by the railroad company upon the lands of the Hinds 
Brothers in 1874, the plat covering about sixty-two acres. The rail- 
road here runs about southeast and the plan of the town is in conform- 
itv with it, the principal streets being at right angles and parallel with 
the line of the road. The place is improving rapidly and has claims 
as a shipping point which can not be ignored. Here Lodge No. 571, 
I. O. O. F., was instituted April 12, 1875, tne m ' st officers of which 



DOUGLAS COUNTY. 



69 



were: J. Gerard, N. G.; B. F. Strader, V. G.; J. M. Dwinnell, Sec- 
retary, and Jas. Stites, Treasurer; J. Gerard, D. G. M. The present 
membership is 30. 

The village of Bridgeport, situated in section 13, 15, 9, has a post 
office called Hugo, and is the the scene of about the last appearance of 
Indians in the county, a trading store having been kept here by one 
Vessar in 1S29-30. 

Among the earlier settlers was Isaac Davidson, who arrived in 
183S, and is still living on his farm, section 19, 15, 9. Jas. A. Breeden, 
built the first house between the Okaw timber, eight miles to the west, 
and the well known "Wallace Stand," west of Hickory Grove. He 
settled in 1S53 on section 9, 14, 9, where he still lives. The "Wallace 
Stand" was the residence of the family of A. G. Wallace, of Tuscola, 
who was the first Ciicuit Clerk of the county, a position he held by 
re-election for over twelve years. 

John Davis, Shiloah Gill, John Barnet and others lived here in the 
years of the early settlers. John Barnet — called "Jack" by everybody 
— came from Kentucky to the Little Vermillion in 1S32, and to his 
present residence, then Coles county, in 1S42. The life partners of 
several well known prominent citizens were taken from his family. 
John Davis, the father of Issachar Davis the present County Surveyor, 
entered his land in 1S33, and arrived in the State from Brown county, 
Ohio, in September, 1S34. He died March 5, 1865. A residence of 
thirty years in this township had earned him the respect and confi- 
dence of all. Shiloah Gill arrived here in 1852 and settled on land 
which had been entered b) his father in 1S33. 

Lines L. Parker, of this township, was elected Sheriff of Vermil- 
lion county in i856, and removed to Douglas in 1S6S. Mr. Parker is 
the largest m in in the county, his weight being 336 pounds. He is, 
nevertheless, notable for physical vigor. He served as a commissioned 
officer in company "D" 25th Illinois in the war of 1S61. 

At the February term — 1S71 — of Douglas Circuit Court, O. P. 
Greenwood was indicted for the murder of Geo. Musset, near Hugo, 
(Bridgeport.) He met him in the woods and shot him. Greenwood 
was tried in Charleston, Coles county, on a change of venue, and sen- 
tenced to the penitentiary for twenty-one years. He had surrendered 
himself to the officers and as there was some probability of self defense 
as well as of justification in the ease, domestic difficulty being the 
cause of the quarrel, and extenuating circumstances generally, a peti- 
tion has lateiv been in circulation praying for his pardon. 



7 o HISTORY OF 

The Supervisors who have represented the interests of the town- 
ship at the county seat are: Benjamin Bowdre, who was elected in 
1868 and returned in 1869. He was succeeded by Oliver P. Hunt, in 
1870, who was re-elected in 1871 and again in 1872. Marvin Y. 
Coykendall was the Supervisor in 1S73-74-75. The present Super- 
visor is F. M. Reeds, who arrived in Coles county in 1848, being 
elected to his present position in the spring of 1876. 

Issachar Davis was elected County Surveyor in November, 1S63, 
and again in 1867, and the third time in 1875, the first two being terms 
of two years each. Under the Constitution of 1870 it has become a 
term of four years. 

The population of the township per 9th Census, 1870, was 1,313. 
The present population is probably 1,500. 

Acres in the township cultivated 29,201 

Acres in tha township not cultivated I ?737 

Town lots, Hindsboro 62 

Total acres 31 ,000 



c<5^c>ot<52^> 



DOUGLAS COUNTY. 



7 1 



NEWMAN TOWNSHIP. 



ZBoiatez en. -^.-sra,rj.t." 



Newman Tov\ r nship has an area of about 48 square miles and is 
nearly all prairie, though there is considerable timber in the south part 
along Brushy Fork. It has 30,756 acres. The north part of this 
township rises into a considerable elevation known as the Ridge, a 
view from which is more extensive than can be obtained from any 
other part of the county. 

In June, 1S71, about three years after Township organization, an 
effort was made to create a new township off the north end to be called 
"Ridge Township," and at the same time a remonstrance was filed, 
which prevailed. 

Amongst the first inhabitants of this part of Douglas county may 
be mentioned Enoch Howell, who was one of the Associate Justices 
of Coles county before the partition of Douglas. He died in Febru- 
ary, 1S54, leaving a large estate. The Winkler's preceded and sold their 
lands to the Hopkins'. James, Cornelius, William and Robert Hop- 
kins being amongst the best known of the earlier settlers. James 
Hopkins settled on his present farm, section 5, 15, 14, in October, 1S41. 
Robert Hopkins was one of the Judges of Coles countv at the time 
of the separation of Douglas in 1859 and was elected to fill the same 
office in the new county. He died in 1S63 leaving a large unincum- 
bered estate, and his brother William is also lately deceased at an 
advanced age and was also a large land owner. 

Jas. M. Cooley and Win, W. Young arrived in 1S53. Young 
d'ed in 1S69. The father of Isaac Skinner came from Vermillion 
county, Ind., in 1S39, and Isaac is, with one exception, the oldest living 
inhabitant of the township. Win. Shute came in 1S54. 



7 2 



HISTORY OF 



The largest contiguous body of land in the township is owned by 
C. M. Culbertson, of Chicago. It contains 2,340 aeres, upon which a 
large amount of money has been expended in the way of improve- 
ment: twenty-two miles of hedges, fifteen wells, forty-nine gates. 
This farm contains a natural grove of about forty acres which, being 
very conspicuous from its elevation on the Ridge and its isolation, had 
been for many years, before the days of regular roads, a valuable 
landmark for travelers. It is well and widely known as "Culbert- 
son's Grove." The ancient name was "Pill's Grove." This farm has 
been under the charge of J. L. Connolly, of Camargo, since 1S64. 

About 1S40 there came from Kentucky to this neighborhood one 
Robert Matteson, who entered the northeast quarter of the northwest 
quarter of section 13, 15, 9, in 1S35, accompanied by his slaves, some 
twelve or fifteen in number. His neighbors being fcr the most part 
from the free States, entertained the idea that the slaves would be free 
after remaining in a free State one year. For various reasons Matte- 
son was not pleased with the country and proposed to return to Ken- 
tucky accompanied by his hi nds, and to that end made preparations 
for departure in their company. Major Samuel Ashmore, who had 
settled near the mouth of Brushy Fork as early as 1830, and others of 
the same mind had agreed that they would endeavor to prevent the 
return of the slaves to Kentucky. A few, however, went with their 
owner. Others, by one means and another, were left behind, and 
some finally went to Liberia, but one of them, at least, Simeon Wil- 
mot, declined to return to Kentucky or to go to Liberia, but remains a 
citizen of Douglas county to this day. A suit at law grew out of the 
matter, in which Abraham Lincoln and O. B. Ficklin were opposing 
counsel. Mr. Ficklin was a large land owner and former resident of 
this countv. He now lives in Charleston, Coles county, and has a 
large quantity of land in this county at present. He represented Coles 
countv in the Legislature in 1S3S, 1842 and was elected to Congress 
in 1842, 1S44 and 1S50 

There is a post office on the Ridge on Jas. Coolev's land near the 
Presbyterian Church, called Phoenix. 

The city of Newman is situated on section 31, 16, 14, on the line 
of the I., D. & S. Railway, and the original town was laid off by the 
same company which instituted Tuscola and at abovit the same time. 
It was named for 1>. Newman, one of the proprietors, who was a son- 
in-law of Peter Cartright, the celebrated itinerant preacher. The 
town was laid out in December, 1S57, in Coles countv, and in the 



DOUGLAS COUNTY 



7. 



advertisements ot the place the proprietors preaicted that a new county 
would be formed, and that the railroad would be built. The new 
county was formed in 1S59 an( ^ the ^"Iroad came along in 1S72. 

The progress of the place was slow from its beginning, in await- 
ing the advent of the read, since which time the advance has 
been rapid. During the long weary waiting of fifteen years for a 
railroad, much of the lands adjacent to the town plat had been 
gradually sold off into small tracts and subsequently converted into 
town lots, so that the present plat of the town, covering the greater 
part of the section, is made up of some sixteen different additions, and 
in some cases parties have made the third addition under the same 
name. 

In the original pint a park 260 feet square is dedicated to the city 
provided a seminary of learning was erected on it within four years 
from December, 1S57, and eight feet upon the borders of all streets is 
dedicated for sidewalks and shade trees. 

The school facilities of the city consist in the main of an excellent 
two-story brick building with accommodations for about 300 pupils, 
and finished this year at a cost of about $10,000. 

Two large two-story brick blocks have recently been erected, con- 
taining several commodious business rooms below, having upon the 
second floor good halls, one of which'is owned by the Masonic Society. 
Cash's brick store of two stories, his brick dwelling and the brick res- 
idence of Hancock, indicate the progress of the place in the way of 
permanent buildings. 

The Banking House of Murphy, Hancock & Co. gives facilities 
to business men. It was established January, 1S7 3. A Methodist and 
a Christian Church have been erected. 

The "Independent," a weekly newspaper — C. Walls, editor and 
proprietor — now in its second volume, keeps up the record of the local 
news and looks after the interests of the Republican party. 

Of Benevolent Societies the Masonic Lodge, Newman, No. 369, 
was instituted June 27, 1861. The first W. M. was Dr. W. A. Smith. 
I. W. Burget was Secretaiy and Isaac Howard, Treasurer. The pres- 
ent membership is 89. 

Lo.lge No. 1)9, In.ljp.-n \::\: O/Jjr of Odd Fellow, was begun 
January 10, 1S71, with S. G. Rose, N. G.; A.J. Homer, V.G.; Jas. 
Farley, Secretary; I. T. Davis, Treasurer; S. G. Rose, D. G. M.; as 
the first officers. The tot;d present membership is e^. 

The Indianapolis, Decatur & Springfield Railway traverses the 
township from east to west, passing through Newman, having been 



74 HISTORY OF 



built in 1S72. The charter of the Decatur & Indianapolis Railroad 
Company was dated March 21, 1853; that of the Illinois & Indiana 
Central bears date of December 30, 1852. It had been a proposed 
road for twenty years and partly graded for a long time. This town- 
ship took stock in the road, by a vote of the people, to the amount of 
$£2,ooo, payable in fourteen years with ten per cent, interest. The 
taxes paid by the road in 1875 balanced the interest. 

A proposed railroad, the line of which has been surveyed and 
approximately located, is a nearly straight line from Homer, in Cham- 
paign county, to Newman, with prospective extensions both ways, and 
a preliminary survey was made on the line ot the Mattoon & Danville 
road which also crosses the township. 

Of the various offices in the public service of Douglas county, Mr. 
Robert Hopkins was one of the first County Board, having been 
elected in 1859. He died in the spring of 1S63. Daniel O. Root was 
elected County Clerk in November, 1873, and is the present officer. 
Mr. Root came from Athens county, Ohio, in October, 1S54. He 
was assistant Marshal in the Ninth Census, 1870. J. W. King, the 
present Superintendent of Schools, was placed in that office at the 
November election, 1875, to fill an unexpired term which closes in the 
fall of 1S77, the term being four years. 

The Supervisors who have been chosen to represent the interests 
of the township were : B. W. Hooe, elected in 1S6S, as the first 
Supervisor, re-elected in 1S69, and returned in 1S71-72-73. Mr. Hooe 
was one of the older residents and died in January, 1S75. D. Todd 
was elected in 1870. F. F. Barber in 1874 and again in 1S75, and hav- 
ing resigned to remove from the county, W. R. Brown was elected to 
fill out the unexpired term, and was re-elected in 1S76, being the 
present representative. Mr. Brown has the distinction of being the 
only county officer born within the bounds of Douglas county, (1845.) 
He served three years in the 79th Infantry in the war of 1861. 

The population of this township, by the 9th Census, 1870, was 
1,077, Dem g at that time next to the smallest, but as the city of New- 
man has rapidly increased since that time the township now ranks 
third or fourth in the county in the number of inhabitants. The pop- 
ulation in the city of Newman was over 1,000 in 1876. 

Acres in the township cultivated 29,560 

Acres in the township not cultivated 796 

Town lots, Newman 240 

Total acres 30,596 



DOUGLAS COUNTr. 75 



SARGENT TOWNSHIP. 



Macte T7"irt-o.te." 



Sargent Township consists of fifty-two sections of land in the 
southeast part of the county and has an area of about 46^ square 
miles, several of the so-called sections being quite small, and was once 
a part of Oakland Precinct in Coles county. It contains 29,813 acres, 
and received its name in honor of Snowdon Sargent, Esq., who was 
one of its earliest and most influential citizens. He made his first 
visit to the State in 1S30, entered 400 acres of land at Palestine, and in 
the first years of his residence passed through with his family, all the 
trials and privations incident to pioneer life. He eventually became 
one of the largest land owners in the county, and died in 1875. Eli 
Sargent entered a large body of land here in 1830. Other well 
known original settlers were Andrew Gwin, the Reddings, Samuel 
Allison, Casebeer, B. F. Coykendall, I. W. Burget, Wm. Hancock, 
and Wm. F. Murphy. Mr. Gwin visited the Richman's the first set- 
tlers, in 1S30. He has the largest farm in the county, 3,100 acres. 
Josephus Redding was born in Edgar county in 1S29 and came to 
this township when two years of age. Samuel Allison arrived in 
1833 Wm. Hancock was the first Assessor and Treasurer of the 
county, a member of the State Board of Equalization in 1S67, and, 
living in Newman, is a member of the banking firm of Murphy, Han- 
cock & Co. Mr. Coykendall came to Coles, now Douglas, county in 
1847. ■"•■ W- Burget arrived in 1S39. Since Township organization 
in 1S68 he has served six consecutive terms as Supervisor of this town- 
iship, in which he has a large and well improved farm. Wm. F. 
Murphy bought his first land here in 1S50, and now has a large farm 



7 6 HISTORY OF 

upon which valuable improvements have been made. He is the pres- 
ent Supervisor of the township and a member of the banking firm of 
Murphy, Hancock & Co., Newman. 

The township of Sargent is about one-half timber, being trav- 
ersed by the Embarras river, which receives Brushy Fork, a branch, 
in section 28, 15, to. Deer Creek, a considerable drain, empties into 
the Embarras in this township. 

Brushy Fork timber was a favorite place of resort for the early 
settlers and was the scene of some of the earliest improvements in the 
county. 

There is no trading point of any importance in the township, the 
business being divided between the neighboring towns of Newman 
and Oakland, in Coles count)-, the local pet name of which is "Pin 
Hook." The onl\ post office is Brushy Fork, in section 22, 15, 10, 
commonly called "Nipantuck." Columbus, a town, was laid out in 
February, 1841, on section 35, 15, 10, now unknown. The Illinois 
Midland Railway crosses about two miles of the township in the 
southwest corner, passing through Oakland in Coles county, which, 
being near, is equivalent to railroad facilities, and routes for several 
proposed roads which cross a portion of its area have been surveyed. 

Sargent Township enjoys the distinction of being the ov\y town- 
ship in the county which has no voted railroad debt as a township. 
In population it is the smallest in the county. The number of inhab- 
itants per Ninth Census, 1870, was 1,035. 

Acres in the township cultivated 28,156 

Acres in the township not cultivated ^657 

Total acres 29,8 1 3 

The following citizens have been charged with the care of the 
county public business: Wm. Hancock was the first Assessor and 
Treasurer of Douglas county, having been elected in 1S59. Jas. H. 
Shawhan was elected to the office of Sheriff, in 1S71, to fill the unex- 
pired term of Cooper, who had left the country. Of Supervisors, I. 
W. Burget was the first, having been elected in 1^68, re-elected in 
1S69-70-71-72-73. He was succeeded by S. M. Long in 1S74, who 
was again returned in 1S75. The present Supervisor is Wm, F. 
Murphy, who was elected in LS76. 



DOUGLAS COUNTY 



7 



AMERICA. 
My Country, 'tis of thee 
Sweet land of liberty, 

Of thee I sing. 
Land where my father's died } 
Land of the pilgrim's pride, 
From every mountain side 

Let freedom ring. 

My native country thee — 
Land of the noble free — 

Thy name I love ; 
I love thy rocks and rills, 
Thy woods and templed hills; 
My heart with rapture thrills 

Like that above. 

Let music swell the breeze, 
And ring from all the trees, 

Sweet freedom's song. 
Let mortal tongues awake, 
Let all that breathe partake. 
Let rocks their silence break — 

The sound prolong. 

Our Father's God, to thee, 
Author of iiberty, 

To the we sing. 
Long may our land be bright, 
With freedom's holy light. 
Protect us by thj might 

Great God our King! 



TRAMP, TRAMP, TRAMP. 

In the prison cell I sit, 
Thinking, mother dear, of you 
And our bright and happy home so far 
away ! 
And the tears they fill my eyes, 
Spite of all that I can do, 
Though I try to cheer my comrades and 
be gay. 

Chorus — Tramp, tramp, tramp! the 

boys are marching; 
Cheer up! comrades, thay will com?, 
And beneath the starry flag, 
We shall breathe the air again 
Of the Freeland in our own beloved 

home. 



In the battle front we stood, 
When the fiercest charge was made, 
And they swept us off, a hundred men 
or more ; 
But before they reached our lines, 
They were driven back dismayed, 
And we heard the cry of vict'ry o'er and 

o'er. 
Chorus — Tramp, tramp, tramp, etc. 

So within the prison walls, 
We are waiting for the day 
That shall come to open wide the iron 
do;r ; 
And the hollow eyes grow bright, 
And the poor heart almost gay, 
As we think of seeing home and friends 

once more. 
Chorus — Tramp, tramp, tramp, etc. 



RED, WHITE AND BLUE. 

O Columbia the gem of the ocean 

The home of the brave and the free, 
The shrine of each patriot's devotion, 

The world offers homage to thee. 
Thy mandates make heroes assemble, 

When Liberty's form stands in view, 
Thv banners make tyranny tremble, 

When borne by the red, white and blue 

When war winged its wide desolation, 

And threatened the land to deform. 
The ark, then, of freedom's foundation 

Columbia,rode safe through the storm 
With her garlands of victory around her, 

When so proudly she bore her brave 
crew, 
With her flag proudly floating before her 

The boast of the red, white and blue. 

The wir.ecup,the wine cup biing hither, 

And fill you it true to the brim ; 
May the wreaths they have won never 
wither, 

Nor the star of their glory grow dim ; 
May the service united ne'er sever, 

But they to their colors prove true; 
The Army and Navy forever — 

Three cheers for the red, white and 
blue. 



73 



HIS TORI' OF 



STAR SPANGLED BANNER. 

Oh sav can you see, by the dawn's earlv 
"light, 
What so proudly we hailed at the twi- 
light's last gleaming, 
Whose hroad stripes and bright stars, 
through the perilous fight, 
O'er the ramparts we watched were 
so gallantly streaming; 
And the rockets red glare, the 

bombs bursting in air. 
Gave proof, thro' the night, that 

our flag wes still there! 
O say does the star spangled ban- 
ner yet wave 
O'er the land of the free and the 
home of the brave ! 

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists 
of the deep, 
Where the foe's haughty host in 
dread silence reposes, 
What is that which the breeze, o'er the 
towering steep, 
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, 
half discloses; 
Now it catches the gleam of the 

morning's first beam : 
In full glory reflected now shines 

in the stream — 
'Tis the star spangled banner! O 

long may it wave 
Q'er the land of the free and the 
home of the brave. 

And where is the band, who so vaunt- 
ingly swore 
That the havoc of war, and the na- 
tion's confusion, 
A home and a country should leave us 
no more — 
Their blood has washed out their foul 
footsteps' pollution! 
No refuge can cave the hireling 

and slave 
From the terror of flight or the 

gloom of the grave! 
And the star spangled banner in 

triumph shall wave 
O'er the land of the free and the 
home of the brave! 

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall 
stand 
Between their loved home and the 
war's desolation ! 



Blessed with victory and peace, mav 
the Heaven-rescued land 
Praise the power that has made and 
preserved us a nation ! 
Then conquer we must, when our 

cause it is just, 
And this be our motto: "In God is 

our tiust! " 
And the star spangled banner in 

triumph shall wave 
O'er the land of the free and the 
home of the brave. 



HAIL COLUMBIA. 

Hail, Columbia, happv land! 

Hail, ye heroes! neaven-born band; 

Who fought and bled in freedom's cause, 

Who fought and bled in freedom's cause, 

And when the storm of war had gone, 

Enjoyed the peace your valor won ; 

Let independence be your boast; 

Ever mindful what it cost, 

Ever grateful for the prize, 

Let its altar reach the skies, 
Firm, united let us be 
Rallying round our liberty, 
As a band of brothers joined, 
Peace and safety we shall find. 

Heroes, patriots, rise once more, 
Guard jour rights, defend your shores; 
Let no rude foe with impious hand, 
Let no rude foe with impious hand, 
Invade the shrine where sacred lies 
Of toil and blood the well earned prize; 
While offering peace sincere and just. 
Place in heaven your manly trust, 
Truth and justice shall prevail, 
And all schemes of bondage fail. 
Firm, united let us be, etc. 

Sound again the trump of fame, 

Then let Washington's great name 

Ring through the world with loud ap- 
plause ; 

Ring through the world with loud ad- 
plause ; 

Let every clime to freedom dear, 

All listen with a joyful ear; 

With equal skill, with steady power. 

He rules in the fearful hour; 

Guides in horrid war with ease, 

And in time of honest peace. 
Firm, united let us be, etc. 



DOUGLAS COUNT 1\ 



79 



COUNTY OFFICERS, 1876. 



COUNTY JUDGE, 

NOAH AMEN. 

COUNTY CLERK, 

DANIEL O. ROOT. 

CIRCUIT CLERK AND RECORDER, 

PATRICK C. SLOAN. 

SHERIFF, 

FRANK G. CUNNINGHAM. 

state's attorney, 
ROBERT B. MACPHERSON. 

TREASURER, 

HENRY R. INGRAHAM. 

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, 

JOHN W. KING. 

SURVEYOR, 

ISSACHAR DAVIS. 

SUPERVISORS, 

Arcolo— M. BARN HART, 
Garrett— WILLIAM HOWE, 
Bowdre—Y. M. REEDS, 
Tuscola— RICE ERVIN, 
Bourbon—], F. BOUCK. 
Sargent— WM. F. MURPHY, 
Newman— WM. R. BROWN, 
Camarjro— MARTIN RICE, 



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